Difference Between 想 (xiǎng) and 要 (yào) | Learn How to Use “To Want” in Chinese
想 xiǎng vs 要 yào: Understanding the Difference
This post continues exploring the differences between Chinese modal verbs.
Learning Chinese modal verbs many learners notice that 想 xiǎng and 要 yào can both mean “to want” leading to confusion they meaning difference depending on the context.
💡 Quick Summary
想 xiǎng “would like to” expresses a desire or wish
要 yào “want to” or “need to” stronger can also demand
Let’s explore the key differences between 想 and 要 in Chinese with examples and sentence to important verbs.
1. 想 xiǎng, “Want to” in Chinese
想 xiǎng is commonly used to express desire or willingness in Chinese when followed by a verb 想 means “want to do something” indicating the speaker’s wish.
想 (xiǎng) + verb = want to (do sth.)
Example:
我想喝咖啡。
(Wǒ xiǎng hē kāfēi.)
I want to drink coffee.
Vocabulary:
喝 (hē); to drink
咖啡 (kāfēi): coffee
想 (xiǎng) + noun = to miss (sth./sb.)
When 想 xiǎng is followed by a noun it takes on a different meaning “to miss someone or something” In this case 想 expresses longing or the feeling of missing someone or something.
Example:
我想我的朋友。
(Wǒ xiǎng wǒ de péngyou.)
I miss my friend(s).
02 要 yào, or “Want to” and “Need to” in Chinese
要 (yào) + noun/verb = to want (sth.) / to want to do (sth.)
要 yào is another commonly used verb in Chinese and it can mean “to want” or “to need” depending on the context when followed by a noun or verb it expresses a desire or necessity.
Example:
我要水。
(Wǒ yào shuǐ.)
I want some water.
Vocabulary:
水(shuǐ): water
However, in addition to a person’s desire to do something, 要 (yào) could also mean “necessary to do something”, which is usually translated as “need something” or “need to do something” in this case. The original word for “need” in Chinese is 需要 (xūyào).
Example:
我现在要去学校。
(Wǒ xiànzài yào qù xuéxiào.)
I need to go to school now.
Vocabulary:
现在 (xiànzài): now
学校 (xuéxiào): school
要(yào) can be replaced with 需要 (xūyào) in this sentence.