<p>Yes, 觉得 expresses more of what someone thinks based on feeling. 认为 expresses more of a person's opinion based on considerations and beliefs. As such, 认为 is always stronger than 觉得 when communicating thoughts. There are cases where the two words are not interchangeable:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>When expressing a strong belief:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>在过去，人们<strong>认为</strong>喜欢抛头露面的妇女是不守妇道的。<br> In the past, people considered women who
  appear in public to be lacking in virtue.</p>
</blockquote></li>
<li><p>When expressing a feeling:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我<strong>觉得</strong>很遗憾，这件事不该发生的。<br>
  I feel very sorry. This incident should not have happened.</p>
</blockquote></li>
</ul>

<p>Where they are meant to communicate thoughts, although interchangeable, there is always a preference of one over the other: </p>

<ul>
<li><p>When expressing a casual thought without a line of reasoning:<br></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我<strong>觉得</strong>这篇文章太深奥了，就算让我再读几遍我也读不懂。<br> I feel that this article is too
  profound. I wouldn't be able to comprehend even if I read it a dozen
  times.</p>
</blockquote></li>
<li><p>When expressing an opinion with a clear line of reasoning:<br></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我<strong>认为</strong>这篇文章太深奥了，使用的词汇不是一般人都能看懂的。<br> I opine that this article is too
  profound. The vocabulary used is not what an ordinary person can understand.</p>
</blockquote></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-20T10:57:58.603Z
Based on @QuestionOverflow's post, I recommend a case-by-case learning process. For example, it's weird to say it as "我認為很遺憾，這件事不該發生的。", but it's quite natural to say "在過去，人們覺得，喜歡拋頭露面的婦女是不守婦道的。" To me, there's not so much difference between the two, but I really feel it a bit serious when I use 認為。
George
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-06T04:30:58.943Z
2013-08-06T04:30:58.943Z
杨以轩
<p>I know both <code>觉得</code> and <code>认为</code> can be used to mean &quot;to think&quot;, like:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>你认为这篇文章怎么样？</p>
<p>你觉得这篇文章怎么样？</p>
</blockquote>
<p>But most people would translate <code>觉得</code> to &quot;to feel&quot;. Does <code>觉得</code> express more of what someone thinks based on just feeling, are there any cases where these two words are not interchangeable?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-05T16:46:42.070Z
觉得, to feel, to think. When 觉得 really means to feel, they are not interchangeable, e.g. `我觉得很累. I feel so tired.`
Stan
<word-choice><meaning>
Difference between 觉得 and 认为
# Difference between 觉得 and 认为

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-08-05)

I know both `觉得` and `认为` can be used to mean "to think", like:

> 你认为这篇文章怎么样？
>
> 你觉得这篇文章怎么样？

But most people would translate `觉得` to "to feel". Does `觉得` express more of what someone thinks based on just feeling, are there any cases where these two words are not interchangeable?

**Tags:** word-choice, meaning

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 觉得, to feel, to think. When 觉得 really means to feel, they are not interchangeable, e.g. `我觉得很累. I feel so tired.`  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2013-08-06. Score: 14 | Accepted answer

Yes, 觉得 expresses more of what someone thinks based on feeling. 认为 expresses more of a person's opinion based on considerations and beliefs. As such, 认为 is always stronger than 觉得 when communicating thoughts. There are cases where the two words are not interchangeable:

* When expressing a strong belief:

  > 在过去，人们**认为**喜欢抛头露面的妇女是不守妇道的。  
  >  In the past, people considered women who
  > appear in public to be lacking in virtue.
* When expressing a feeling:

  > 我**觉得**很遗憾，这件事不该发生的。  
  > I feel very sorry. This incident should not have happened.

Where they are meant to communicate thoughts, although interchangeable, there is always a preference of one over the other:

* When expressing a casual thought without a line of reasoning:

  > 我**觉得**这篇文章太深奥了，就算让我再读几遍我也读不懂。  
  >  I feel that this article is too
  > profound. I wouldn't be able to comprehend even if I read it a dozen
  > times.
* When expressing an opinion with a clear line of reasoning:

  > 我**认为**这篇文章太深奥了，使用的词汇不是一般人都能看懂的。  
  >  I opine that this article is too
  > profound. The vocabulary used is not what an ordinary person can understand.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Based on @QuestionOverflow's post, I recommend a case-by-case learning process. For example, it's weird to say it as "我認為很遺憾，這件事不該發生的。", but it's quite natural to say "在過去，人們覺得，喜歡拋頭露面的婦女是不守婦道的。" To me, there's not so much difference between the two, but I really feel it a bit serious when I use 認為。  

---

