Difference between 我要 and 我想

[akdn]

Well, it seems - from the above answers to my question - as if it depends on whether or not you want to express a 'plan', which is implied with 会or 打算，or whether you wish to express a 'desire', implied with 要．'Wanting' to go home tomorrow afternoon is surely not the same as 'planning' to go home tomorrow. I may 'want' to go home, but in fact not have the money to buy my bus ticket!

[smithsgj]

akdn "will" can be expressed by both 要 and 会, depending on context. Perhaps it's a sort of "wanting" future -- is that what you're suggesting? Or that 要 never really means "will" at all? It's often most appropriately *translated* as "will", though, I think (not that I can come up with a decent example!)

[akdn]

Perhaps it's a sort of "wanting" future -- is that what you're suggesting?

Yeah, that's what I was taking it to mean. Actually I use 要 most often in ALL the situations we've discussed! But I thought I was being strictly incorrect for doing so!

[Quest]

use 要 when u say "I need to"

[Guest samantha]

明天我回家。(i will go home tomorrow. i've buy the bus ticket!)

明天我要回家。(i will go home tomorrow. used to answer the question: what are you going to do tomorrow? you can use it whether you buy the ticket or not.)

明天我会回家, 我走之后的工作由你负责。(i'm going home tomorrow, you will take charge of my job when i leave)but does it always be used?

明天我想回家。(i want to go home tomorrow. i miss my family very much.)

:?: 要and 想have the different meaning and depanding on the context. 要can expressed both "desire" and "plan", 想can expressed both" want" and "miss".it meaning we can use 要translate "need, want, will, would like"想translate"want, miss".also 会, some people said it's the same as 要，but 要 is usually be used.

is it right?who can give us some example about the different meaning.

[smithsgj]

THanks Samantha that's made it pretty clear for me!

[Guest samantha]

but do you agree that the preference for 2 character words is something to do with rhythm?

i've no idea about it. but i think sometimes the 1 character word is something to do with rhythm. have you heard "良师益友"(liang shi yi you) which means good teacher and helpful friend. does the 师 or 友 here for the rhythm.

[Guest Andrew]

In regards 我要 wo yao & 我想 wo xiang, I believe that xiang must be followed by a verb, such as I want to drink, but yao can be followed by a noun, such as I want a cup.

But I could be wrong

[Quest]

我想 can be followed by a noun, such as a person, or a place.

[Quest]

why are you guys making it so complicated haha.

just use 我想 for "I think of/I want/I want to/", 我会 for "I will/I am going to", 我要 for "I need/I need to".

I am right, trust me. I would like to see an example in which you can't plug in my definition for the words.

[Tsunku]

If you use 想 followed by a noun rather than a verb it usually means "I miss." Such as 我想我爸爸 or 我想我家乡. It can also mean "I think." Other than that, I agree with Quest, it's not as complicated as this thread makes it seem. We like to debate over anything. ;)

[tetsuo500]

::agrees with Quest::

I like to think of 想 as something you feel flowing in your heart, keeping in mind that in Chinese the heart and mind are hard to distinguish between. So to miss, to think, and to have a desire to all make sense to me that way.

Sorry to complicate this more, as it really isn't that complicated.

[Ian_Lee]

There are striking differences in consequences (maybe disastrous) if you speak these three different terms to your girl friend.

If you tell her "我要", that means you want to have her body.

If you tell her "我想", that probably is just love intended but not sex related.

If you tell her "我想要", that means you have some dirty thoughts in your mind.

[Ian_Lee]

And of course if your girl friend begs you that "我要", but somehow you decline her request due to whatever reasons, the consequence can be disastrous too.

[ax]

If a girl said "我想要"

then you know what to do guys :-)

she might say "人家想要嗎"

ax

[sherman]

about 我想

if

"我想"+Verb

then

"我想"=I want to do something

eg.

我想吃饭。

我想回家。

or if

"我想"+Noun/从句

then

"我想"=I am considering/thinkink/missing

eg.

我想天要下雨了。

我想我考试失败了。

我想我太太。