Chinese–EnglishWith examples

理想

lǐ xiǎng · li xiang

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 2Old HSK 4

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. an ideal
  2. a dream
  3. ideal
  4. perfect
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In a conversation

0:18 cartoon

A smaller dream

  1. Dengdeng

    你的(nǐde)理想(lǐxiǎng)是(shì)什么(shénme)？

    What is your dream?

  2. Liangliang

    我(wǒ)小时候(xiǎoshíhou)的(de)理想(lǐxiǎng)是(shì)开(kāi)一家(yījiā)面包店(miànbāodiàn)。

    When I was little, my dream was to open a bakery.

  3. Dengdeng

    现在(xiànzài)呢(ne)？

    And now?

  4. Liangliang

    现在(xiànzài)的(de)理想(lǐxiǎng)是(shì)下班(xiàbān)早(zǎo)一点(yīdiǎn)。

    My dream now is to leave work a bit earlier.

  5. Dengdeng

    这个(zhège)理想(lǐxiǎng)也(yě)很(hěn)好(hǎo)。

    That is a good dream too.

  6. Liangliang

    比(bǐ)开店(kāidiàn)容易(róngyì)，可是(kěshì)更(gèng)难(nán)实现(shíxiàn)。

    It is easier than opening a shop, but harder to achieve.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

他(tā)表(biǎo)明(míng)自(zì)己(jǐ)是(shì)一(yí)个(gè)理(lǐ)想(xiǎng)的(de)丈(zhàng)夫(fu)。

He's making it clear that he's an ideal husband.

Tatoeba: Chinese by Martha · English by peterius · CC BY 2.0 FR. Simplified Chinese conversion; Pinyin added or corrected.

02

我(wǒ)的(de)理(lǐ)想(xiǎng)是(shì)当(dāng)一(yì)名(míng)医(yī)生(shēng)，帮(bāng)助(zhù)更(gèng)多(duō)的(de)人(rén)。

My dream is to become a doctor and help more people.

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How to write

Stroke order & practice

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
理
lǐ

texture; grain (of wood)

想
xiǎng

to think (about); to think of; to devise

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

More words starting with LExplore words in context