<p>It's just very common for a word to have multiple meanings. An online dictionary gives the five interpretations:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>思考, 动脑筋 to think, to consider</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>让我想一想 = Let me think.</p>
</blockquote></li>
<li><p>回忆 to remember</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我想不起来他昨天说了什么 = I can't remember what he said yesterday.</p>
</blockquote></li>
<li><p>怀念, 惦记 to miss</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我想你 = I miss you.</p>
</blockquote></li>
<li><p>希望, 打算 to hope/want to do something</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我想去旅游 = I want to travel.</p>
</blockquote></li>
<li><p>预料, 推测 to anticipate, to predict</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我想这件事没表面上看起来那么简单 = I guess this is not as simple as it looks.</p>
</blockquote></li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-18T02:05:28.957Z
2019-12-18T09:17:21.383Z
2019-12-18T09:17:21.383Z
trisct
<p>I've never thought about this question before! :) </p>

<p>Here's my observation: 
for miss, normally you would use it at miss somebody/something, and you can add 念 after 想. for example: </p>

<pre><code>我想（念）他
我想（念）家乡的食物
</code></pre>

<p>For think about, normally you think about a thing. For example:</p>

<pre><code>我没想过这个问题
我想一下
我想想明天做什么
</code></pre>

<p>For want, normally you can add 要 after 想. For example: </p>

<pre><code>我想（要）去北京
我想（要）游泳
我想（要）吃家乡的食物 
</code></pre>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-18T07:39:48.627Z
If I don't use 要 how can I be sure that 我想去北京 means "I want to go to Beijing" and not "I think of going to Beijing"?
julodnik
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-18T09:08:31.790Z
@julodnik What do you mean by "I think of going to Beijing"? This doesn't make much sense even in English.
trisct
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-18T09:34:08.640Z
Hmm, now I feel unsure... isn't it grammatically correct to say that? How do you say "I often think of going to Beijing, but I never have time to do it" ? or "I am thinking of going to Beijing this weekend". Why does it sound strange?
julodnik
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-18T16:36:15.210Z
@julodnik that is 想象. In English it is equivalent to imagine. In Chinese you cannot omit 象
sylvia
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-19T01:30:12.150Z
Thanks! Also, what if someone says 我想他 without adding 念 （WILL people do that??）should I assume the person is saying they miss him?  Basically is interpreting the sentence contextually how you figure it out? And I also wanted to say that the pun made my day :)
QuarterOne
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-19T02:25:05.170Z
@QuarterOne yes, in word 想念，念 is optional (as indicated in parenthesis). I think after you see more examples you should be able to figure out naturally. If you look at the sentence structure for each category, they’re different too. For miss, it is 想 + noun
sylvia
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-20T00:51:38.147Z
@julodnik "I am thinking of going to Beijing" should be translated to "我在考虑去北京” rather than “我想去北京”. By using 想 here you mean you want to. This can hardly be ambiguous. Although, "我要去北京”, without further context, can both mean "will" or "need to".
trisct
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-17T23:47:19.540Z
2019-12-18T00:01:38.410Z
2019-12-18T00:01:38.410Z
sylvia
<p>As you can see a "心" (mind, heart) in "想", when 想 is used as a verb, it means the subject in somehow in your mind.</p>

<p>If you miss something, it is in your mind.
If you consider something, it is in your mind.
If you want something, it is in your mind.</p>

<p>English segregated those meanings, but "想" does not. Anything in your mind can be a thing you 想. (similar to "念" which also has a "心" in it)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-19T03:51:55.937Z
2019-12-19T03:51:55.937Z
FrOst
<p>I've seen 想 mean 'thought' as well and wanted to know whether they're used interchangeably or not.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我没想过这个问题。<em>I've never thought about this question before.</em></p>
</blockquote>

<p>And 想 is also used like this:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>你想不想我？<em>Did you or did you not miss me?</em></p>
</blockquote>

<p>So my book doesn't clarify WHY it's different. Why is 想 want, thought and miss? Some grammar to it? Are there more ways to use 想?</p>

<grammar><usage>
Seen multiple uses of 想
# Seen multiple uses of 想

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-12-17)

I've seen 想 mean 'thought' as well and wanted to know whether they're used interchangeably or not.

> 我没想过这个问题。*I've never thought about this question before.*

And 想 is also used like this:

> 你想不想我？*Did you or did you not miss me?*

So my book doesn't clarify WHY it's different. Why is 想 want, thought and miss? Some grammar to it? Are there more ways to use 想?

**Tags:** grammar, usage


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-12-18. Score: 9

It's just very common for a word to have multiple meanings. An online dictionary gives the five interpretations:

1. 思考, 动脑筋 to think, to consider

   > 让我想一想 = Let me think.
2. 回忆 to remember

   > 我想不起来他昨天说了什么 = I can't remember what he said yesterday.
3. 怀念, 惦记 to miss

   > 我想你 = I miss you.
4. 希望, 打算 to hope/want to do something

   > 我想去旅游 = I want to travel.
5. 预料, 推测 to anticipate, to predict

   > 我想这件事没表面上看起来那么简单 = I guess this is not as simple as it looks.


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-12-17. Score: 3

I've never thought about this question before! :) 
Here's my observation: 
for miss, normally you would use it at miss somebody/something, and you can add 念 after 想. for example: 
我想（念）他
我想（念）家乡的食物

For think about, normally you think about a thing. For example:
我没想过这个问题
我想一下
我想想明天做什么

For want, normally you can add 要 after 想. For example: 
我想（要）去北京
我想（要）游泳
我想（要）吃家乡的食物

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: If I don't use 要 how can I be sure that 我想去北京 means "I want to go to Beijing" and not "I think of going to Beijing"?  
> **username_1**: @username_3 What do you mean by "I think of going to Beijing"? This doesn't make much sense even in English.  
> **username_3**: Hmm, now I feel unsure... isn't it grammatically correct to say that? How do you say "I often think of going to Beijing, but I never have time to do it" ? or "I am thinking of going to Beijing this weekend". Why does it sound strange?  
> **username_2**: @username_3 that is 想象. In English it is equivalent to imagine. In Chinese you cannot omit 象  
> **username_0**: Thanks! Also, what if someone says 我想他 without adding 念 （WILL people do that??）should I assume the person is saying they miss him?  Basically is interpreting the sentence contextually how you figure it out? And I also wanted to say that the pun made my day :)  
> **username_2**: @username_0 yes, in word 想念，念 is optional (as indicated in parenthesis). I think after you see more examples you should be able to figure out naturally. If you look at the sentence structure for each category, they’re different too. For miss, it is 想 + noun  
> **username_1**: @username_3 "I am thinking of going to Beijing" should be translated to "我在考虑去北京” rather than “我想去北京”. By using 想 here you mean you want to. This can hardly be ambiguous. Although, "我要去北京”, without further context, can both mean "will" or "need to".  

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### Answer by username_4 on 2019-12-19. Score: 2

As you can see a "心" (mind, heart) in "想", when 想 is used as a verb, it means the subject in somehow in your mind.

If you miss something, it is in your mind.
If you consider something, it is in your mind.
If you want something, it is in your mind.

English segregated those meanings, but "想" does not. Anything in your mind can be a thing you 想. (similar to "念" which also has a "心" in it)


---

