盼

• Pinyin: pàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 盼 = 目 + 分 (eyes gazing with longing, attention divided by hope)

Meaning

Long for; to eagerly await or hope for something with anticipation and heartfelt desire.

Expresses deep longing or heartfelt anticipation. Common in literary and emotional contexts, often with an undertone of anxious waiting or longing for reunion. More emotionally charged than 希望 or 期待.

Examples

1. 父母日夜盼着远在异乡的孩子早日回家。 The parents longed day and night for their child, far from home, to come back soon.
2. 灾区群众终于盼来了政府的救援物资。 People in the disaster zone finally received relief supplies from the government.
3. 她盼了多年，终于等到了出国留学的机会。 She had waited for years and finally got the chance to study abroad.

Usage Guide

Context: emotions, family, literature

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 村民们翘首以盼，希望政府早日修好这条破损的道路。(The villagers are eagerly hoping the government will soon repair this damaged road.)
• 多年来，他一直盼望能与失散多年的兄弟重聚。(For years, he has longed to be reunited with his long-lost brother.)

Don't Say

• 我盼他不要迟到 — use 希望 for general wishes; 盼 implies deep emotional longing rather than a simple preference

Origin & History

目 (eye) + 分 — the eye gazes intently and expectantly in different directions, conveying longing

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal