想你
xiǎng nǐ
Miss you
想你 (xiǎng nǐ) is the most common and direct way to say “miss you” in Mandarin Chinese. It's used when you miss a person, but the character 想 (xiǎng) itself also means “to think” or “to want.”
What does 想你 (xiǎng nǐ) mean?
想你 (xiǎng nǐ) means “miss you” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “think you / miss you.”
When to use it
Neutral and widely applicable. To express a stronger feeling, you can add 很 (hěn, “very”) to say 我很想你. For missing a place or a general sense of longing, you might use 想念 (xiǎngniàn), which is a bit more formal or literary. When someone says they miss you, a common reply is 我也想你 (wǒ yě xiǎng nǐ), “I miss you too.”
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “shyahng nee.” Both characters are third tones, so the first one shifts to a rising tone, making it sound like “shyahng-NEE.”
Other ways to say it
- 我很想你wǒ hěn xiǎng nǐI really miss you
- 想念xiǎngniànto miss (more formal/literary, often for people or places)
- 想家xiǎngjiāto miss home
Examples
我想你。
wǒ xiǎng nǐ.
I miss you.
我每天都想你。
wǒ měitiān dōu xiǎng nǐ.
I miss you every day.
我很想念我的家人。
wǒ hěn xiǎngniàn wǒ de jiārén.
I really miss my family.
Pro tip: The character 想 (xiǎng) has multiple meanings: 'to think,' 'to want,' and 'to miss.' Context usually makes it clear, but remember that 'I miss you' is literally 'I think you' in Chinese.
Related phrases
中国朋友 · China friends新年 · New year不错 · Nice
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