目标

• Pinyin: mù biāo
• Hanzi breakdown: 目 = pictograph of an eye; 标 = 木 (wood) + 票 (ticket/label), meaning a sign or mark

Meaning

Goal; target; objective. Something one aims to achieve or reach.

Used broadly for goals of all kinds — career goals, study goals, life goals, as well as physical targets. Very common in work, education, and self-improvement contexts. Can be modified by adjectives: 长期目标 (long-term goal), 短期目标 (short-term goal), 明确的目标 (a clear goal).

Examples

1. 我今年的目标是学会做五道中国菜。 My goal this year is to learn how to cook five Chinese dishes.
2. 有了明确的目标，学习就更有方向。 With a clear goal, studying becomes more focused.
3. 他的目标是考上一所好大学。 His goal is to get into a good university.

Usage Guide

Context: work, education, self-improvement

Tone: motivational

Do Say

• 你的目标是什么？(What is your goal?)
• 我们要为自己设定目标。(We should set goals for ourselves.)

Don't Say

• 我的目标是吃午饭。(Don't use 目标 for trivial routine actions — it implies something worth striving for. Say 我想去吃午饭 for simple plans.)

Origin & History

目 means eye; 标 means mark or sign (木 wood + 票 ticket/label). Together they mean what the eye aims at — a target.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal