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思想 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
思想sīxiǎngthoughtHSK 5, n, 22 strokes, rank #2494, Hard
思想sīxiǎngthinkingHSK 5, n, 22 strokes, rank #2494, Hard
思想sīxiǎngideaHSK 5, n, 22 strokes, rank #2494, Hard
思想sīxiǎngideologyHSK 5, n, 22 strokes, rank #2494, Hard
sīxiǎng(si1xiang3)si xiang T1
  1. 1thought
  2. 2thinking
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March 24, 2026

思想sīxiǎng(si1xiang3)

思想 (sīxiǎng) refers to the process of thinking, ideas, or ideologies. It encompasses both individual thoughts and broader philosophical concepts, often used in academic and political contexts to discuss theories or belief systems.

Strokes22Frequency#2494DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

The term 思想 is frequently used in discussions about Confucianism and modern political ideologies in China, reflecting the importance of thought in shaping society and governance.

Memory Tip

Think of 思 (sī) as a 'thought bubble' where ideas float, and 想 (xiǎng) as 'to think' or 'to imagine.' Together, they create a vivid image of a mind full of ideas and reflections.

Meanings of 思想

sīxiǎng(si1xiang3)
1thought
2thinking
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 思想

思想Simplified
22Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#2494Frequency Rank
个Measure Word
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 思想

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Podcast: 思想

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AI Study Notes for 思想

Quick Contrast

思想 (sīxiǎng) vs 观念 (guānniàn) — use 思想 for broader ideologies or philosophical concepts, while 观念 focuses more on specific beliefs or viewpoints.

Usage Notes

Be cautious of the context in which you use 思想; it often implies deeper or more serious considerations rather than casual thoughts. Common collocations include '思想观念' (ideological concepts) and '思想意识' (awareness of thought), and it’s usually used in formal discussions.

HSK Study Tips

At HSK Level 5, students should focus on understanding how 思想 relates to other abstract nouns like 观念 (idea) and 理论 (theory). Practicing constructing sentences that express complex thoughts will be beneficial.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 思想 with 想法, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我有一个好的思想' (I have a good thought) is incorrect; it should be '我有一个好的想法.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 思想

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Component Characters

思sīto think
HSK 59 strokes心
View full entry
想xiǎngto think
HSK 113 strokes心
View full entry

How to say thought in Chinese

“thought” in Chinese is思想sīxiǎng

思想 (sīxiǎng) refers to the process of thinking, ideas, or ideologies. It encompasses both individual thoughts and broader philosophical concepts, often used in academic and political contexts to discuss theories or belief systems.

When to use 思想

Be cautious of the context in which you use 思想; it often implies deeper or more serious considerations rather than casual thoughts. Common collocations include '思想观念' (ideological concepts) and '思想意识' (awareness of thought), and it’s usually used in formal discussions.

思想 or something close to it

思想 (sīxiǎng) vs 观念 (guānniàn) — use 思想 for broader ideologies or philosophical concepts, while 观念 focuses more on specific beliefs or viewpoints.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 思想 with 想法, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我有一个好的思想' (I have a good thought) is incorrect; it should be '我有一个好的想法.'

Write 思想

思
想

Practice writing 思想 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 思想

思想 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

她的行动和____变得扭曲了，她的态度也是。

Her actions and thoughts became distorted. So did her behavior.

Example Sentences for 思想 (10)

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1
她的行动和思想变得扭曲了，她的态度也是。

tā de háng dòng hé sī xiǎng biàn dé niǔ qū le， ， tā de tài dù yě。

Her actions and thoughts became distorted. So did her behavior.
2
他为某些思想较守旧的官员所憎恶。

tā wéi mǒu xiē sī xiǎng jiào shǒu jiù de guān yuán suǒ zēng è。

He is loathed by some of the more traditionally minded officers.
3
他继续使本国远离外来思想的侵袭。

tā jì xù shǐ běn guó yuǎn lí wài lái sī xiǎng de qīn xí。

He continues to insulate his country from the contagion of foreign ideas.
4
在被占领期间法国思想界受到了压制。

zài bèi zhān lǐng qī jiān fǎ guó sī xiǎng jiè shòu dào le yā zhì。

Intellectual life in France was smothered by the occupation.
5
她的文学批评集中关注的是伟大的文学作品表达思想的方式。

tā de wén xué pī píng jí zhōng guān zhù de shì wěi dà de wén xué zuò pǐn biǎo dá sī xiǎng de fāng shì。

Her literary criticism focuses on the way great literature suggests ideas.
6
他们在宣传新思想，对此她表示赞许。

tā mén zài xuān chuán xīn sī xiǎng， ， duì cǐ tā biǎo shì zàn。

She applauds the fact that they are promoting new ideas.
7
对新思想采取不存先入之见的态度是明智的.

duì xīn sī xiǎng cǎi qǔ bù cún xiān rù zhī jiàn de tài dù shì míng zhì de.

It is advisable to take an open - minded approach to new ideas.
8
我的思想老落后于现实.

wǒ de sī xiǎng lǎo luò hòu yú xiàn shí.

My thinking always lags behind reality.
9
他们满脑子种族成见，似乎都是些20世纪30年代的老思想。

tā mén mǎn nǎo zǐ zhǒng zú chéng jiàn， ， sì hū dū shì20 xiē 2030 shì jì 30 nián dài de。

They were filled with racial stereotypes, I mean, it looked like something from the 1930s.
10
我的前男友安东尼大男子主义思想很重。

wǒ de qián nán yǒu ān dōng ní dà nán zǐ zhǔ yì sī xiǎng hěn zhòng。

My ex-boyfriend Anthony was very chauvinistic.

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Cultural Notes for 思想

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, 'thought' may often be discussed in individualistic terms, while in Chinese culture, 思想 can reflect collective ideology and communal values.

Frequently Asked Questions about 思想

You can say '他的思想很先进' (His thoughts are very advanced) to express modern or progressive ideas.

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