<p>[我想 + statement] the statement is what I think is true</p>

<p>[我觉得 + statement] the statement is what I feel is true</p>

<p>[我以为  + statement] the statement is what I thought was true</p>

<p>[我認为  + statement] the statement is what I concluded to be true</p>

<p>[我相信  + statement] the statement is what I believe to be true</p>

<p>Examples:</p>

<p>我<strong>想</strong>他不会来了 = I <strong>think</strong> he won't come</p>

<p>我<strong>觉得</strong>他不会来了 = I think (<strong>feel</strong>) he won't come</p>

<p>我<strong>以为</strong>他不会来了 = I <strong>thought</strong> he wouldn't come</p>

<p>我<strong>認为</strong>他不会来了 = I think (<strong>concluded</strong>) he wouldn't come</p>

<p>我<strong>相信</strong>他不会来了 = I think (<strong>believe</strong>) he wouldn't come</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-23T16:06:05.617Z
2018-01-23T16:14:53.320Z
2018-01-23T16:14:53.320Z
Tang Ho
<p><strong>以为</strong> is mostly used for: </p>

<ul>
<li>wrongly thought/believed </li>
</ul>

<p>like: <code>我以为你死了！</code> I thought you were dead!</p>

<p><strong>觉得</strong> is closer to:</p>

<ul>
<li>feel/think (of an opinion)</li>
</ul>

<p>like: <code>你这样说，我觉得非常不靠谱</code> What you said is totally unreasonable.</p>

<p>想 is close to the English:</p>

<ul>
<li>think</li>
</ul>

<p>like: <code>我想这个案子肯定有猫腻。</code> There's something fishy about this case.</p>

<p>In Chinese the idea of English 'think' is hardly ever used - even in English it's mostly just a buffer or fluff; if anything 觉得 is the closest. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-24T02:49:54.843Z
想 is close to "to think about " in the English, and close to "miss". 以为 is mostly used for: wrongly thought/believed or a  modest mode. 以为 usually is used in writing.
XL _At_Here_There
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-23T16:13:46.440Z
2018-01-23T16:13:46.440Z
Mou某
<p><code>想, 觉得，以为</code> all mean to think. But is there any subtle difference between the three or tense difference? When would you be more likely to use them in context? </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-23T15:02:47.223Z
users recommend;search site for Q&A about  **认为／以为** ，dictionaries, e.g. bkrs:  **想**  to think
to believe
to suppose
to wish
to want
to miss (feel wistful about the absence of sb or sth)，（思索） think; ponder:想办法 think of a way; try to find a solution 想问题 think over a problem（推测; 认为） suppose; reckon; consider; think:
你想会下雨吗? Do you think it will rain? **觉得**  to think
to feel（发生某种感觉） feel; be aware; sense:
一点不觉得累 not feel tired at all
（认为） think; feel; find:
我觉得不必事事都告诉他。 I don't think we have to tell him everything.
他觉得这个计划不妥当。 He felt the plan to be unwise.
user6065
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-10T00:16:05.400Z
Rather similar to [What are the difference between e.g. 想, 觉得 and 认为 when expressing opinion?](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/16041/what-are-the-difference-between-e-g-%e6%83%b3-%e8%a7%89%e5%be%97-and-%e8%ae%a4%e4%b8%ba-when-expressing-opinion)
Becky 李蓓
<meaning-in-context><verbs><past-tense>
Is there any difference between 想, 觉得 and 以为?
# Is there any difference between 想, 觉得 and 以为?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-01-23)

`想, 觉得，以为` all mean to think. But is there any subtle difference between the three or tense difference? When would you be more likely to use them in context?

**Tags:** meaning-in-context, verbs, past-tense

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: users recommend;search site for Q&A about  **认为／以为** ，dictionaries, e.g. bkrs:  **想**  to think to believe to suppose to wish to want to miss (feel wistful about the absence of sb or sth)，（思索） think; ponder:想办法 think of a way; try to find a solution 想问题 think over a problem（推测; 认为） suppose; reckon; consider; think: 你想会下雨吗? Do you think it will rain? **觉得**  to think to feel（发生某种感觉） feel; be aware; sense: 一点不觉得累 not feel tired at all （认为） think; feel; find: 我觉得不必事事都告诉他。 I don't think we have to tell him everything. 他觉得这个计划不妥当。 He felt the plan to be unwise.  
> **username_2**: Rather similar to [What are the difference between e.g. 想, 觉得 and 认为 when expressing opinion?](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/16041/what-are-the-difference-between-e-g-%e6%83%b3-%e8%a7%89%e5%be%97-and-%e8%ae%a4%e4%b8%ba-when-expressing-opinion)  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-01-23. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

[我想 + statement] the statement is what I think is true

[我觉得 + statement] the statement is what I feel is true

[我以为 + statement] the statement is what I thought was true

[我認为 + statement] the statement is what I concluded to be true

[我相信 + statement] the statement is what I believe to be true

Examples:

我**想**他不会来了 = I **think** he won't come

我**觉得**他不会来了 = I think (**feel**) he won't come

我**以为**他不会来了 = I **thought** he wouldn't come

我**認为**他不会来了 = I think (**concluded**) he wouldn't come

我**相信**他不会来了 = I think (**believe**) he wouldn't come


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2018-01-23. Score: 2

**以为** is mostly used for:

* wrongly thought/believed

like: `我以为你死了！` I thought you were dead!

**觉得** is closer to:

* feel/think (of an opinion)

like: `你这样说，我觉得非常不靠谱` What you said is totally unreasonable.

想 is close to the English:

* think

like: `我想这个案子肯定有猫腻。` There's something fishy about this case.

In Chinese the idea of English 'think' is hardly ever used - even in English it's mostly just a buffer or fluff; if anything 觉得 is the closest.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: 想 is close to "to think about " in the English, and close to "miss". 以为 is mostly used for: wrongly thought/believed or a  modest mode. 以为 usually is used in writing.  

---

