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休想 (xiū xiǎng) — don't think (that); don't imagine (that)

Definition

Set phrase meaning 'don't even think about (doing something)' — a strong, dismissive warning. Often paired with 想骗 / 想赢 / 想通过 in [subject]∼+verb constructions.

verb
don't think (that)don't imagine (that)

Examples

  • 休想。
    Nǐ xiū xiǎng piàn guò wǒ.
    Don't think you can fool me.
  • 休想。
    Nǐ men xiū xiǎng qīng yì huò shèng.
    Don't imagine you can win easily.
  • 休想。
    Tā xiū xiǎng zhè yàng jiù néng tōng guò miàn shì.
    He shouldn't think he can pass the interview like this.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

休xiūdo not
想xiǎngthink

休 means 'do not' and 想 means 'think', giving a blunt refusal to imagine.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

休 pairs 人 (man) with 木 (tree), showing a person leaning against a tree to rest.

Open 休 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart, mind
Sound part声符shēngfú
相
相xiāng想xiǎng
Same sound today

想 has 心 (heart, mind) below 相 (to look at); the shape shows the mind looking at or considering something, and 相 also gives the sound.

Open 想 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Thinking & Cognition

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