Can't Wait To: 巴不得
巴不得
Use 巴不得 to express an eager, desperate wish for something to happen
巴不得 is a colloquial expression meaning "to wish desperately" or "can't wait to." It expresses a strong desire for something, often something that is difficult to achieve or that one wishes would happen immediately.
巴不得 is always followed by a verb phrase or clause expressing what the speaker desperately wishes for. The wish is typically unrealistic, exaggerated, or expresses impatience. It can be used for both positive desires (wanting to get home quickly) and negative desires (wanting someone to leave).
Lesson Targets
Podcast
Podcast: Can't Wait To: 巴不得 (巴不得)
Listen to Jason & Amy explain the 巴不得 pattern
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Understanding 巴不得
The expression 巴不得 is one of the most emotionally charged ways to express a wish in Chinese. It goes far beyond simply "wanting" something — it conveys desperation, eagerness, and impatience. When someone has been running for ten hours and says 巴不得一步就到家, they are expressing an almost physically painful longing to be home instantly. When you say 巴不得早点儿离开, you are revealing just how badly you want to escape a situation. The word 巴 originally meant "to eagerly hope for," and 巴不得 literally means "can't manage to eagerly achieve" — paradoxically expressing that you want something so badly that the inability to have it immediately is painful. This expression is very colloquial and emotionally vivid.
Key Points
- 巴不得 means "to desperately wish" or "can't wait for" something.
- It expresses a wish that is more intense than 想 or 希望.
- The desired outcome is often exaggerated or currently impossible.
- It can express positive eagerness (wanting to arrive) or negative eagerness (wanting someone to go away).
- Always followed by a verb phrase or clause, never a single noun.
- Highly colloquial — not used in formal writing.
The directness of 巴不得 makes it a very honest expression of desire. In Chinese social contexts where restraint is valued, using 巴不得 signals strong emotion and is typically reserved for close relationships or internal thoughts, not formal occasions.
Key Vocabulary
Example Sentences
他跑了十个多小时，巴不得一步就到家。
He had been running for over ten hours and desperately wished he could get home in a single step.
Expresses desperate longing
我很讨厌这个地方，巴不得早点儿离开。
I really hate this place — I can't wait to leave as soon as possible.
她巴不得马上见到分别了三年的女儿。
She desperately wishes she could see her daughter, from whom she has been separated for three years, immediately.
天气太热了，我巴不得一天到晚待在空调房里。
It's so hot — I wish I could stay in the air-conditioned room all day long.
孩子们巴不得每天都是周末。
The children wish every day were the weekend.
他巴不得你犯错，这样他就有机会了。
He can't wait for you to make a mistake — that way he'll have his chance.
Negative eagerness directed at someone else
考试终于结束了，我巴不得好好睡一觉。
The exam is finally over — I desperately want to have a good long sleep.
Common Mistakes
巴不得 must be followed by a verb phrase or clause, not a bare noun. You wish for an action to happen, not for an object itself.
Do not insert 了 between 巴不得 and the verb phrase. 巴不得 connects directly to the desired action.
巴不得 already contains the meaning of "very much." Do not add 很 before it — it is redundant.
Practice Exercises
Tips & Tricks
巴不得 is interchangeable with 恨不得 in most contexts, but 恨不得 can sound slightly more intense and dramatic.
Always follow 巴不得 with a verb phrase — it cannot stand alone or take a noun object.
Use words like 马上, 立刻, 赶快 after 巴不得 to reinforce the sense of urgency.
This expression is very colloquial — in formal writing, use 迫不及待 or 急切希望 instead.
Homework
Write five sentences using 巴不得: two expressing positive eagerness (wanting something good to happen), two expressing negative eagerness (wanting to escape something), and one expressing eagerness about someone else's situation. Pay attention to always using a verb phrase after 巴不得.