Comparing "qidai", "qiwang", and "xiwang"
期待, 期望, and 希望 are similar because all are verbs and are used in the context of something better that is awaited for sometime in the future. Yet, upon closer look they are different. 期待 is used to mean to look forward to. 期望 and 希望 are more similar as both me to hope. 期待 is used in informal situations. 期望 is used in informal situations. 希望 is used in informal and formal situations. Finally, it is worth noting that only 希望 can also be used as a noun, to mean “hope”.
| 期待 (qīdài) | 期望 (qīwàng) | 希望 (xīwàng) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meaning | to look forward to | to hope | to hope, hope |
| Part of Speech | verb | verb | verb, noun |
| Formality | informal | formal | flexible |
