<p>In short, <code>想</code> means "think (of)" when followed by noun phrases or clauses, and "want to" when followed by verb phrases, while <code>喜欢</code> simply means "like / be fond of" in all cases. </p>

<p>Some details:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>When followed by nouns/pronouns,</p>

<ul>
<li><p><code>想</code> means "think of / consider" or "miss", for example:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我在想你 = I am missing you; 我在想这个问题 = I am considering this question.</p>
</blockquote></li>
<li><p><code>喜欢</code> means "like", for example:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我喜欢你 = I like you</p>
</blockquote></li>
</ul></li>
<li><p>When followed by verb phrases,</p>

<ul>
<li><p><code>想</code> means "want to (do)", for example:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我想吃鱼 = I want to eat fish</p>
</blockquote></li>
<li><p><code>喜欢</code> means "like to (do)" or "like (doing)", expressing non-momentary preference, hence not "would like to (do)", for example:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我喜欢吃鱼 = I like eating fish</p>
</blockquote></li>
</ul></li>
<li><p>When followed by clauses,</p>

<ul>
<li><p><code>想</code> means "think (that)", for example:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我想他不会来了 = I think (that) he won't come.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Two relevant notes here:</p>

<p>a. When <code>想要</code> is followed by clauses, it doesn't mean "think (that)", but "want A to do", where A is the subject of the following clause, for example: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我想要他唱 = I want him to sing. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>BTW, a few native speakers may feel that <code>想要</code> in this usage is interchangeable with <code>想</code>.</p>

<p>b. When <code>不想（要)</code>, in which "要" can be omitted, is followed by clauses, it doesn't mean "not think (that)", but "not want A to do", where A is the subject of the following clause, for example: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我不想（要）你来 = I do not want you to come.</p>
</blockquote></li>
<li><p><code>喜欢</code> means "like it that", for example:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我喜欢你这样做 = I like it that you do it this way</p>
</blockquote></li>
</ul></li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-17T00:20:18.633Z
The answer by @user3306356 reminded me that this answer lacked a brief summary at the beginning. Thanks for that.
null
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-18T08:18:35.257Z
Thanks for the detailed  answer. These permutations in meaning  had puzzeld me a lot.
user137313
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-16T14:42:56.543Z
2014-05-17T00:17:54.523Z
2014-05-17T00:17:54.523Z
null
<p>想 has several meanings: </p>

<ol>
<li>think(想法) </li>
<li>suppose(想来) </li>
<li>miss(想念)</li>
<li>want to(想要)</li>
</ol>

<p>喜欢 as a verb, it means to like or to love.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-16T20:55:54.337Z
2014-05-16T20:55:54.337Z
zs2020
<p>Because I find the other answers a little overwhelming and unclear I'm going to add my own two-cents:</p>
<p>[and the reason for my explanation being based <em>completely</em> on the confusion found in OP's question]</p>
<h1>想 is just a shortened form of 想要 meaning &quot;to want&quot;</h1>
<h1>喜欢 means &quot;to like&quot;</h1>
<p>·I like chocolate = 我喜欢巧克力</p>
<p>·I want to eat chocolate = 我想吃巧克力</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-16T16:09:07.613Z
2014-05-16T21:16:44.070Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Mou某
<p>We use想for the meaning of thinking,as 我想去中国 I want to go to China.
We use喜欢for the meaning of like,as 我喜欢中国 I like China.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-16T17:43:33.220Z
2014-05-16T17:43:33.220Z
Zecy
<p>想 means think of (something or doing something)</p>

<p>喜欢 means to like (something or doing something or someone).</p>

<p>To answer your question, </p>

<p>想 isn't necessarily used for actions, it could also be "thinking of something or someone"</p>

<p>喜欢 isn't necessarily used for things, it could also be "like" doing something"</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-16T13:44:02.430Z
2014-05-16T13:44:02.430Z
ChineseHulu.com
<p>Could someone please give we a hint when to use either of those?!</p>

<p>My take is that 想 is used for actions and 喜欢 for things!? Am I right?</p>

<meaning><characters>
When to use 想 versus 喜欢?
# When to use 想 versus 喜欢?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-05-16)

Could someone please give we a hint when to use either of those?!

My take is that 想 is used for actions and 喜欢 for things!? Am I right?

**Tags:** meaning, characters

---

## 5 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-05-16. Score: 11

In short, `想` means "think (of)" when followed by noun phrases or clauses, and "want to" when followed by verb phrases, while `喜欢` simply means "like / be fond of" in all cases.

Some details:

1. When followed by nouns/pronouns,

   * `想` means "think of / consider" or "miss", for example:

     > 我在想你 = I am missing you; 我在想这个问题 = I am considering this question.
   * `喜欢` means "like", for example:

     > 我喜欢你 = I like you
2. When followed by verb phrases,

   * `想` means "want to (do)", for example:

     > 我想吃鱼 = I want to eat fish
   * `喜欢` means "like to (do)" or "like (doing)", expressing non-momentary preference, hence not "would like to (do)", for example:

     > 我喜欢吃鱼 = I like eating fish
3. When followed by clauses,

   * `想` means "think (that)", for example:

     > 我想他不会来了 = I think (that) he won't come.

     Two relevant notes here:

     a. When `想要` is followed by clauses, it doesn't mean "think (that)", but "want A to do", where A is the subject of the following clause, for example:

     > 我想要他唱 = I want him to sing.

     BTW, a few native speakers may feel that `想要` in this usage is interchangeable with `想`.

     b. When `不想（要)`, in which "要" can be omitted, is followed by clauses, it doesn't mean "not think (that)", but "not want A to do", where A is the subject of the following clause, for example:

     > 我不想（要）你来 = I do not want you to come.
   * `喜欢` means "like it that", for example:

     > 我喜欢你这样做 = I like it that you do it this way

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The answer by @user3306356 reminded me that this answer lacked a brief summary at the beginning. Thanks for that.  
> **username_0**: Thanks for the detailed  answer. These permutations in meaning  had puzzeld me a lot.  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2014-05-16. Score: 4

想 has several meanings:

1. think(想法)
2. suppose(想来)
3. miss(想念)
4. want to(想要)

喜欢 as a verb, it means to like or to love.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-05-16. Score: 4

Because I find the other answers a little overwhelming and unclear I'm going to add my own two-cents:

[and the reason for my explanation being based *completely* on the confusion found in OP's question]

# 想 is just a shortened form of 想要 meaning "to want"

# 喜欢 means "to like"

·I like chocolate = 我喜欢巧克力

·I want to eat chocolate = 我想吃巧克力


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2014-05-16. Score: 2

We use想for the meaning of thinking,as 我想去中国 I want to go to China.
We use喜欢for the meaning of like,as 我喜欢中国 I like China.


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### Answer by username_5 on 2014-05-16. Score: 1

想 means think of (something or doing something)

喜欢 means to like (something or doing something or someone).

To answer your question,

想 isn't necessarily used for actions, it could also be "thinking of something or someone"

喜欢 isn't necessarily used for things, it could also be "like" doing something"


---

