<p>First,</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我不需要我认为我需要的东西 </p>
</blockquote>

<p>Is okay.</p>

<p>Next:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Is 的东西 necessary or is 我不需要我认为我需要 sufficient to convey the meaning?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>If anything <code>东西</code> is unnecessary. <code>的</code> on the other hand is essential.</p>

<p><code>的</code> has the function to turn verbs into nouns.</p>

<p>需要 means “to need,” 的 turns <code>to need</code> (需要) into 需要的 and means into something more like - <code>what (I) need</code> -or- <code>the things (I) need</code>.</p>

<p>So <code>我不需要我认为我需要的东西</code> could be better phrased as <code>我不需要我认为我需要的</code>.</p>

<p>It might be more natural to put it in a flipped order though (i.e.: what I think I need - I don’t (actually) need).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-11T19:56:43.357Z
2018-02-11T19:56:43.357Z
Mou某
<p>Google Translate gives 我不需要我认为我需要的东西 as a translation of 'I do not need what I think I need'.</p>

<p>Is that accurate?</p>

<p>Is 的东西 necessary or is 我不需要我认为我需要 sufficient to convey the meaning?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-10T00:11:19.037Z
It should be 我不需要我认为我需要**的**. But in Chinese, it is more natural to say 我认为我所需要的其实并非我想要的。
dan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-11T14:19:55.753Z
@dan 想要 is want.need should be 需要
J.Wang
<translation>
Translation of 'I do not need what I think I need'
# Translation of 'I do not need what I think I need'

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

Google Translate gives 我不需要我认为我需要的东西 as a translation of 'I do not need what I think I need'.

Is that accurate?

Is 的东西 necessary or is 我不需要我认为我需要 sufficient to convey the meaning?

**Tags:** translation

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It should be 我不需要我认为我需要**的**. But in Chinese, it is more natural to say 我认为我所需要的其实并非我想要的。  
> **username_2**: @username_1 想要 is want.need should be 需要  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-02-11. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

First,

> 我不需要我认为我需要的东西

Is okay.

Next:

> Is 的东西 necessary or is 我不需要我认为我需要 sufficient to convey the meaning?

If anything `东西` is unnecessary. `的` on the other hand is essential.

`的` has the function to turn verbs into nouns.

需要 means “to need,” 的 turns `to need` (需要) into 需要的 and means into something more like - `what (I) need` -or- `the things (I) need`.

So `我不需要我认为我需要的东西` could be better phrased as `我不需要我认为我需要的`.

It might be more natural to put it in a flipped order though (i.e.: what I think I need - I don’t (actually) need).


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