Chinese word

向往

Pronunciation

Pinyinxiàng wǎng

Meaning

  • verblong for

Example

我一直向往那样的生活。wǒ yì zhí xiàng wǎng nà yàng de shēng huó

I have always longed for a life like that.

Illustration for 向往 (long for)

More examples

很多年轻人向往自由和独立。hěn duō nián qīng rén xiàng wǎng zì yóu hé dú lì

Many young people long for freedom and independence.

Core concept

A warm pull toward an imagined life, future, or place that feels worth moving toward.

Common phrases

  • 向往自由xiàng wǎng zì yóu

    long for freedom

  • 向往未来xiàng wǎng wèi lái

    long for the future

  • 向往美好生活xiàng wǎng méi hǎo shēng huó

    long for a better life

Similar words

期望qī wàng: Looks forward to and wishes for a particular future result or state.
希望xī wàng: Hopes for a desired event or situation to happen.
梦想mèng xiǎng: Dreams of a future goal and works toward achieving it.
渴望kě wàng: Strongly and urgently desires something.

Definition in Chinese

表示对某种理想、生活状态或前景怀有向往与希望，常带有温柔或理想化的情感色彩，搭配对象多为生活、前途、故乡等抽象名词。biǎo shì duì móu zhǒng lí xiǎng shēng huó zhuàng tài huò qián jǐng huái yǒu xiàng wǎng yǔ xī wàng cháng dài yǒu wēn róu huò lí xiǎng huà de qíng gǎn sè cǎi dā pèi duì xiàng duō wéi shēng huó qián tú gù xiāng děng chōu xiàng míng cí

Word origin

向 (xiàng, "toward") + 往 (wǎng, "go") pictures the mind moving toward a desired destination, which gives the compound its idealized sense.

Usage tips

  • 向往 (xiàngwǎng, "long for") can describe a place that has not been visited, so it does not by itself mean that the speaker has lived there or plans to go there.

Other meanings

  • longingnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word