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How to Say ‘I want’ in Traditional Chinese

我想要

wǒ xiǎng yào

[waw shyang yow]

💬 Usage Tip: [想要] is a common, natural way to say you want something. It's a little fuller than just [要], and works well in shops: [我想要黑色的].

Phrase Breakdown

[waw]

I; me

The first-person pronoun used to refer to oneself.

Example

我是學生。

I am a student.

想要

xiǎng yào

[shyang yow]

want; would like

Used to express desire for something or wanting to do something.

Example

我想要一杯咖啡。

I want a cup of coffee.

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