Chinese word

奢望

Pronunciation

Pinyinshē wàng

Meaning

  • noununrealistic expectation

Example

不要对他抱有奢望，他只是个学生。bú yào duì tā bào yǒu shē wàng tā zhǐ shì gè xué shēng

Don't have unrealistic expectations of him; he's just a student.

Illustration for 奢望 (unrealistic expectation)

More examples

许多人对未来抱有奢望，却忽视了脚踏实地的努力。xǔ duō rén duì wèi lái bào yǒu shē wàng què hū shì le jiǎo tà shí dì de nǔ lì

Many people have unrealistic expectations about the future but overlook steady effort.

Core concept

A desire that rises above the solid ground of what can realistically be achieved.

Common phrases

  • 不切实际的奢望bù qiè shí jì de shē wàng

    unrealistic expectations

  • 抱有奢望bào yǒu shē wàng

    harbor unrealistic expectations

  • 奢望破灭shē wàng pò miè

    unrealistic expectations are shattered

Similar words

期待qī dài: An expectation that a certain event or result will happen.
期望qī wàng: A clear wish for a specific result to become real.
希望xī wàng: A hopeful wish for good changes in the future.
幻想huàn xiǎng: A fantasy or imagined picture that lacks real support and is barely possible.

Definition in Chinese

指超过实际能力或条件的愿望或期待，含有不顾现实或过度自信的意味。zhǐ chāo guò shí jì néng lì huò tiáo jiàn de yuàn wàng huò qī dài hán yǒu bú gù xiàn shí huò guò dù zì xìn de yì wèi

Word origin

奢 (shē, "excessive") + 望 (wàng, "hope or expectation") combines excess with wishing, giving the word its sense of an overextended hope.

Usage tips

  • 奢望 (shēwàng, "extravagant hope") labels an expectation as beyond reasonable limits, so it can sound blunt when used about another person's plans.

Other meanings

  • pipe dreamnoun

Opposites

  • 现实期望xiàn shí qī wàngrealistic expectationsnoun
  • 合理期望hé lǐ qī wàngreasonable expectationsnoun

Word lists with this word