Comparing "yao" and "xiang"
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
Both 要 (yào) and 想 (xiǎng) can mean "want," but they're used in slightly different ways, such as 想 (xiǎng) meaning "to miss" when followed by a noun, and 要 (yào) also meaning "going to (do something).
Contents
Followed by a Noun
Both 要 (yào) and 想 (xiǎng) may be followed by nouns, but their meanings are different, because the meaning of 想 (xiǎng) changes when used this way.
要 as "to want"
Structure
This structure is most often used to buy something, or to order food as a restaurant. It's also to imagine a demanding child using this pattern to get stuff from his parents. This pattern can be rude, but it's not as inherently rude as it may seem when translated directly into English.
Subj. + 要 + Noun
Examples
- 你 也 要 茶 吗? (ordering in a restaurant) Do you also want tea?
- 我们 都 要 咖啡。 (ordering in a cafe) We all want coffee.
- 大家 要 不要 米饭? (ordering in a restaurant) Does everyone want rice or not?
- 你们 要 冰水 还是 热水? (ordering in a restaurant) Do you want icy water or hot water?
- 谢谢, 我 什么 都 不 要。 (ordering in a restaurant) Thank you.I don't need anything.
想 as "to miss"
Pay attention here: unlike "想 + Verb," the meaning of 想 in the "想 + Noun" pattern becomes "to miss."
Structure
Subj. + 想 + Noun
Examples
- 我想 你。I miss you.
- 我 有点 想 我 的 家人。I sort of miss my family.
- 你们 回 美国 以后, 会 想 中国菜 吗?Will you miss Chinese food after you go back to America?
- 你女朋友 不 在 的时候, 你 会 想 她 吗?
- 妈妈 昨天 打 电话 的时候 跟 我 说, 她 很想 我。
Followed by a Verb
Both 要 (yào) and 想 (xiǎng) may be followed by verbs with similar meanings. The difference between the two is rather subtle, but 要 (yào) can sound more urgent or demanding (sometimes even childish), while 想 (xiǎng) is usually a bit more mature and polite. Tone of voice plays a big role here as well, though, so don't be afraid of offending people by using 要 (yào); the word itself isn't rude.
要 as "want to"
Structure
It might help to think of 要 (yào) in this sense as meaning "want to" and 想 (xiǎng) as meaning "would like to."
Subj. + 要 + Verb
Examples
- 我 要 休息。I want to rest.
- 你 也 要 回家 吗?Do you also want to go home?
- 你们 要 喝 什么?What do you want to drink?
- 我 要 帮 老板 做 完 这 些 工作。 I want to help the boss finish these work.
- 大家 晚上 要 不 要 出去 吃?Does everyone want to go out to eat tonight?
想 as "would like to"
Structure
It might help to think of 想 (xiǎng) as meaning "would like to" instead of "want to."
Subj. + 想 + Verb
Examples
- 你 想 去 吗?Would you like to go?
- 我 不 想 见 她。I'd like not to see her.
- 周末 你们 想 看 电影 吗?Would you like to see a movie this weekend?
- 我 想 跟 你 结婚。I want to marry you.
- 他们 春节 不 想 回家 吗?Do they not want to go back home during Spring Festival?
要 as "going to"
要 is used to indicate plans for the near future, much like "going to" in English. 想 (xiǎng) is not used in this way.
Structure
Subj. + 要 + Verb
Examples
- 星期六 我 要 去 北京。I'm going to Beijing on Saturday.
- 下 个 月 她 要 找 新 工作。She is going to find a new job next month.
- 这个 周末 你们 要 出去 玩 吗?Are you going out to have fun this weekend?
- 结婚 以后,你 要 跟 父母 住 在 一起 吗?Are you going to live together with your parents after you get married?
- 生 完 孩子 以后,你太太 要 回去 工作 吗?Is your wife going back to work after she finishes giving birth to the baby?
想要 as "want"
You can put 要 (yào) and 想 (xiǎng) together to make the word 想要 (xiǎngyào), which means "to want." You can put either nouns or verbs after it.
Subj. + 想要 + Verb
- 你 想要 生 几 个 孩子?How many kids do you want to have?
- 很多 女孩 都 想要 找 一 个 有钱 的 男朋友。A lot of girls want to find a rich boyfriend.
- 你们 为什么 想要 离开 这 家 公司? Why do you want to leave this company?
- 他 想要 帮 你 找 一 个 更好 的 工作。He wants to help you find a better job.
- 我老婆 总是 想要 买 最 贵 的 包。My wife always wants to buy the most expensive bags.
Dialog
These conversations use 想 and 要 in various ways described in this article.
- A: 你 要 什么?What do you want?
- B: 我 要 一 杯 红茶。我 还 想要 一杯 牛奶。 I want a cup of black tea. I also want a glass of milk.
- A: 你 想 家 吗?Are you homesick?
- B: 我 想 家。我 很 想 我 爸妈。Yeah, I'm homesick. I really miss my parents.
- A: 你 想 不 想 跟 她 结婚?Would you like to go back?
- B: 我 想。可是 我们 要 先 买 房子 再 结婚。Yeah, I would. But I'm going to buy a house first and then gat married.
See also
- Wanting to do something with yao
- "Would like to" with xiang
- Auxiliary verb "yao" and its multiple meanings
- Negative commands with "bu yao"
- Expressing determination with "feiyao"
Sources and further reading
Books
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 154-5) →buy