想

Phono-semantic compound:

心 (heart, mind) – semantic, indicating thought, emotion.

相 (to observe, mutual, each other) – phonetic element.

Originally depicted the act of directing one’s mind toward something seen or remembered, leading to meanings of thinking and longing.

Semantic range:

- to think, to ponder, to consider;

- to imagine, to visualize, to conceive;

- to long for, to miss, to desire;

- figurative: intention, aspiration, mental projection.

思想 (사상) – thought, ideology

想像 (상상) – imagination

理想 (이상) – ideal, aspiration

幻想 (환상) – illusion, fantasy

想念 (상념) – thought, contemplation

遐想 (하상) – daydream, reverie

In modern Mandarin, 想 can also mean to want (e.g., 我想去 “I want to go”).

Often paired with 念 (to think of, to recite) in compounds like 想念, emphasizing longing or remembrance.

Closely related to 思 (to think, to yearn), but 想 often suggests active imagination or desire, while 思 leans toward reflection and remembrance.