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但愿 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
但愿dànyuànif only (sth were possible)HSK 7, unknown, 21 strokes, rank #2642, Very Hard
但愿dànyuànI wish (that)HSK 7, unknown, 21 strokes, rank #2642, Very Hard
dànyuàn(dan4yuan4)dan yuan T4
  1. 1if only (sth were possible)
  2. 2I wish (that)
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March 24, 2026

但愿(但願)dànyuàn(dan4yuan4)

但愿 (dàn yuàn) expresses a wish or hope for something to happen. It conveys a sense of longing or desire, often used in contexts where the speaker wishes for a favorable outcome that may not be guaranteed.

Strokes21Frequency#2642DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, expressing wishes and hopes is common during festivals, such as the Lunar New Year, where people use phrases like 但愿 to convey their hopes for the upcoming year.

Memory tip

Imagine a person standing in the rain, wishing for sunshine. The character '但' looks like a person holding an umbrella (the 'but' in their wish), while '愿' resembles a person reaching out for their dreams (wishing). Together, they embody the phrase 'if only' or 'I wish'.

Meanings of 但愿

dànyuàn(dan4yuan4)
1if only (sth were possible)
2I wish (that)
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About 但愿

但愿Simplified
但願Traditional
21Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

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Podcast: 但愿

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AI study notes for 但愿

Quick Contrast

愿 (yuàn) — use 但愿 when expressing a stronger hope or wish for a specific outcome, while 愿 is more general and can refer to any desire.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include using 但愿 in overly formal contexts where simpler expressions would suffice. It is often followed by a subjunctive clause, e.g., 但愿他能来 (I wish he could come). Be mindful of the tone; mispronouncing it can change the meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

Though not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it is useful for HSK 5 learners who are exploring more complex expressions of emotion and desire. Focus on its use in expressing wishes and connect it with other words related to hope, like 希望 (xī wàng).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 但愿 with 但愿有 (dàn yuàn yǒu), mistakenly using it to mean 'I hope there is'. The correct usage would be simply 但愿, as in '但愿一切顺利' (I wish everything goes smoothly).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 但愿

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Component characters

但dànbut
HSK 27 strokes亻
View full entry
愿yuànto hope
HSK 514 strokes心
View full entry

How to say if only (sth were possible) in Chinese

“if only (sth were possible)” in Chinese is但愿dànyuàn

但愿 (dàn yuàn) expresses a wish or hope for something to happen. It conveys a sense of longing or desire, often used in contexts where the speaker wishes for a favorable outcome that may not be guaranteed.

When to use 但愿

Common mistakes include using 但愿 in overly formal contexts where simpler expressions would suffice. It is often followed by a subjunctive clause, e.g., 但愿他能来 (I wish he could come). Be mindful of the tone; mispronouncing it can change the meaning entirely.

但愿 or something close to it

愿 (yuàn) — use 但愿 when expressing a stronger hope or wish for a specific outcome, while 愿 is more general and can refer to any desire.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 但愿 with 但愿有 (dàn yuàn yǒu), mistakenly using it to mean 'I hope there is'. The correct usage would be simply 但愿, as in '但愿一切顺利' (I wish everything goes smoothly).

Write 但愿

但
愿

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Frequently asked questions about 但愿

Yes, 但愿 is appropriate for both spoken and written contexts, though it tends to be more commonly used in written language.

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