How to Say ‘Want’ in Simplified Chinese
想要
xiǎng yào
[shyang-yaow]
🇨🇳 In China: In reservations or service situations, [想要] is understandable but can sound a bit direct if said by itself. Many people soften it with [想], [想订], or [想要…可以吗？] depending on the situation.
Phrase Breakdown
想要
xiǎng yào
[shyang-yaow]
to want; would like
A common way to express desire or preference politely in everyday speech.
我想要靠里面的桌子。
I would like a table further inside.
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