ZHIZHI 知止 · LEARN CHINESE DAILY

to gaze; hope

wàng
11 strokes · 亡 (sound wáng) + 月 (moon) + 王-base — standing tall to watch the moon · HSK 2

Where 望 comes from

The oracle form of 望 is stunning: a person standing on a mound, eye enlarged, gazing at the moon. Every part says distance — you 望 what you cannot touch. Full moon day (十五) is still called 望日 in the lunar calendar.

望 in Chinese culture

望子成龙 'gazing for the son to become a dragon' names the entire weight of Chinese parental expectation in five characters. 望 is Mid-Autumn's verb too: a billion people 望月 gazing at one moon, missing whoever isn't home.

Example

希望 xīwàng — hope

父母都希望孩子快乐。
Fùmǔ dōu xīwàng háizi kuàilè.
All parents hope their children are happy.

How to remember it

Standing tall, eyes on the distant moon 月 — GAZING with HOPE.

绝望 'cut-off gaze' is despair — hope in Chinese is literally a sightline, and losing it means the view is severed.

Same sound, different tones

1st wāng
woof
2nd wáng
king
3rd wǎng
net
4th wàng
to gaze

Words unlocked by 望

希望 xīwàng
hope
望子成龙 wàng zǐ chéng lóng
to hope one's child excels
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