盼望 (pàn wàng) — to look forward to, to hope for

Definition

盼望 is 'to hope for / look forward to,' usually to something likely and emotionally warm. Stronger and more hopeful than 期望 (which can be neutral expectations), and less lofty than 向往 (a yearning for an ideal).

verb
to look forward toto hope for

Examples

  • 盼望。
    Wǒ pàn wàng zhe zǎo rì jiàn dào nǐ.
    I look forward to seeing you soon.
  • 盼望。
    Tā pàn wàng néng qù guó wài liú xué.
    She hopes to study abroad.
  • 盼望。
    Hái zi men pàn wàng zhe guò nián chuān xīn yī fu.
    The children look forward to wearing new clothes for the New Year.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

盼pànlook forward to
望wànghope

盼 “look forward to” and 望 “hope” combine to mean eager expectation.

Characters in this word

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
目目mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
分
分fēn盼pàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

盼 is made of 目 and 分; 分 gives the sound.

Open 盼 →

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

  • 臣臣chéneye
  • 𡈼𡈼𡈼person standing on the ground

望 originally showed 臣 (eye) beside 𡈼 (person standing on the ground): a person standing up and looking off into the distance. Later 月 was added, and the 臣 part became 亡.

Open 望 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 5Will & Intention

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