How to Say ‘Want’ in Simplified Chinese
想
xiǎng
[shyang]
💬 Usage Tip: 想 before a verb often softens what you want: 我想点菜 is more natural than a blunt 我要点菜. You can reuse it with other actions, like 我想看看菜单 "I'd like to look at the menu."
Phrase Breakdown
想
xiǎng
[shyang]
to want / to feel like / to miss
Common verb to express a desire in ordering food: 我想点… (“I’d like to order…”)
我想点海鲜面。
I’d like to order seafood noodles.
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