想 (xiǎng) · to think

想 (xiǎng) means “to think”. It is made of 相 + 心 and has 13 strokes, and is an HSK 1 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).

Break 想 into its parts

What 想 is made of

• 相 xiāng — mutual
  • 木 mù — tree
    • 十 — ten
    • 八 bā — eight
  • 目 mù — eye
    • 口 kǒu — mouth
    • 二 — two strokes
• 心 xīn — heart

Origin hint: 心 gives the meaning, 相 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

想 stroke order

Example sentences

Words with 想

• 理想lǐxiǎngideal
• 想到xiǎngdàoto think of
• 想法xiǎngfǎidea
• 想起xiǎngqǐto remember
• 思想sīxiǎngthought
• 没想到méixiǎngdàodidn't expect
• 梦想mèngxiǎngdream
• 想念xiǎngniànto miss (sb or sth)
• 想象xiǎngxiàngto imagine
• 感想gǎnxiǎngthoughts
• 幻想huànxiǎngfantasy
• 空想kōngxiǎngfantasy
• 联想liánxiǎngto associate
• 设想shèxiǎngto imagine
• 妄想wàngxiǎngwishful thinking
• 想方设法xiǎngfāngshèfǎto try every possible means
• 着想zhuóxiǎngto consider (others' interests)

Also built with 相

• 厢xiāngside-room
• 箱xiāngbox
• 霜shuāngfrost

Quick facts

Questions about 想