想念

• Pinyin: xiǎng niàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 想 = 相 (mutual) + 心 (heart) — to think/miss; 念 = 今 (now) + 心 (heart) — to think of/remember

Meaning

To miss; to long for. Describes the feeling of yearning for an absent person or place.

Expresses an emotional longing for someone or something that is far away or no longer present. Stronger and more heartfelt than 想 alone. Commonly used for missing family, friends, or a hometown. Often used when separated by distance, time, or loss.

Examples

1. 在外地求学，她非常想念家乡的食物。 Studying away from home, she misses the food from her hometown very much.
2. 他出差三个月，非常想念妻子和孩子。 He has been on a business trip for three months and deeply misses his wife and children.
3. 每次听到这首歌，我就会想念以前的老朋友。 Every time I hear this song, I am reminded of and miss my old friends.

Usage Guide

Context: family, relationships, everyday

Tone: warm

Do Say

• 我很想念在国外的父母，希望早点回家。(I miss my parents abroad very much and hope to go home soon.)
• 你有没有想念过以前的大学生活？(Have you ever missed your old university days?)

Don't Say

• 把想念用于描述对物品的需求或欲望。(Don't use 想念 to express wanting or needing a thing — use 想要 for desire; 想念 is reserved for emotional longing for people, places, or experiences.)

Origin & History

Compound of 想 (to think about/miss) and 念 (to think of/remember), together intensifying the sense of longing and remembrance.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal