想 xiǎng — to think, to reflect; to want to, to would like to; to miss someone

Pinyin

• xiǎng (third tone, dipping)

to think, to reflect; to want to, to would like to; to miss someone

Character breakdown

• 相sound partno entry yet相 xiāng gives the sound (xiāng → xiǎng). It is itself an eye 目 beside a tree 木 — someone examining something closely.
• 心meaning partThe heart, where Chinese locates thinking as well as feeling.

Mnemonic

A heart 心 carrying 相 xiāng above it for the sound. The phonetic repays a second look: 相 is an eye 目 next to a tree 木, someone inspecting closely — so the whole reads as the heart examining something. All three of its everyday senses follow: 我想他 I miss him, 我想去 I want to go, 你在想什么? what are you thinking about?

A memory aid written by HSK Guide editors. It is not an etymology and does not describe the historical origin of the character.

Words containing 想

• 想xiǎng (third tone, dipping)to want to, would like to
• 想象xiǎngxiàng (third tone, dipping)to imagine, to picture, to envision
• 理想lǐxiǎng (third tone, dipping)ideal, dream, life ambition

Radical 心 — other characters

• 心xīn (first tone, high and level)heart; mind, feelings, intention; the centre of something (中心)
• 爱/愛ài (fourth tone, falling)to love; to like, to be fond of; love, affection
• 忘wàng (fourth tone, falling)to forget; to overlook, to leave behind
• 怕pà (fourth tone, falling)to fear, to be afraid of; to be afraid that; probably, I dare say