<p>Where I'm from, people usually say <code>想要</code>. <code>想</code> is more for "to think", and <code>要</code> has a flavor of "to need/require", though it really all depends on the context. <code>想要</code> mixes the two meanings, kind of like "to want" has both "desire" and "necessity".</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我渴了，我想要喝水。</p>
</blockquote>

<p><em>I am thirsty. I want/need to drink water.</em></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我要上這門課才能畢業。</p>
</blockquote>

<p><em>I need to take this course to graduate.</em></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>這道菜看起來好好吃，我想點這道菜。</p>
</blockquote>

<p><em>This dish looks delicious. I want to order this dish.</em></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>你想不想一起去北京？</p>
</blockquote>

<p><em>Do you want to go to Beijing?</em></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-02T17:17:29.023Z
2018-09-02T17:17:29.023Z
Vibius
<p>Is one more common (<a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%A6%81#Definitions" rel="noreferrer">要</a> vs <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%83%B3#Chinese" rel="noreferrer">想</a>)? Are there different situations to use each?</p>

<word-choice>
What's the difference between 要 and 想 for "to want"?
# What's the difference between 要 and 想 for "to want"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-09-02)

Is one more common ([要](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%A6%81#Definitions) vs [想](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%83%B3#Chinese))? Are there different situations to use each?

**Tags:** word-choice


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-09-02. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

Where I'm from, people usually say `想要`. `想` is more for "to think", and `要` has a flavor of "to need/require", though it really all depends on the context. `想要` mixes the two meanings, kind of like "to want" has both "desire" and "necessity".

> 我渴了，我想要喝水。

*I am thirsty. I want/need to drink water.*

> 我要上這門課才能畢業。

*I need to take this course to graduate.*

> 這道菜看起來好好吃，我想點這道菜。

*This dish looks delicious. I want to order this dish.*

> 你想不想一起去北京？

*Do you want to go to Beijing?*


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