Chinese word

想念

Pronunciation

Pinyinxiǎng niàn

Meaning

  • verbmiss

Example

我很想念你。wǒ hěn xiǎng niàn nǐ

I miss you very much.

Illustration for 想念 (miss)

More examples

每当看到旧照片，我就会想念小时候的朋友。měi dāng kàn dào jiù zhào piān wǒ jiù huì xiǎng niàn xiǎo shí hòu de péng yǒu

Whenever I see old photos, I miss my childhood friends.

Core concept

A deep feeling that keeps a distant person or a cherished past close in the mind.

Common phrases

  • 想念小时候xiǎng niàn xiǎo shí hòu

    miss one's childhood

  • 想念朋友xiǎng niàn péng yǒu

    miss friends

Similar words

想xiǎng: To think of someone and want to see them.
惦记diàn jì: To keep someone or something in mind and continue thinking about them.
怀念huái niàn: To remember a person or time from the past with warm longing.

Definition in Chinese

对远方或已逝的人或过去的经历产生深切的怀念和思念，常用作动词表示对人的恋慕或对往事的怀念。duì yuǎn fāng huò yǐ shì de rén huò guò qù de jīng lì chǎn shēng shēn qiè de huái niàn hé sī niàn cháng yòng zuò dòng cí biǎo shì duì rén de liàn mù huò duì wǎng shì de huái niàn

Word origin

想念 (xiǎngniàn, "to miss") combines 想 (xiǎng, "to think of") + 念 (niàn, "to keep in mind"), framing strong remembrance as a thought held steadily in the mind.

Usage tips

  • English often uses one ordinary word for both missing a person and yearning for an earlier time, while this Chinese verb comfortably covers both in personal and reflective speech.

Other meanings

  • longingnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word