空想

kōngxiǎng

noun HSK 7-9 #17,708

Meanings

1 fantasy
2 daydream
3 wishful thinking

Characters

to think; to imagine

Examples

光靠空想是不够的，要行动。

Guāng kào kōngxiǎng shì bùgòu de, yào xíngdòng.

Wishful thinking alone is not enough; you need to take action.

他的计划不过是空想罢了。

Tā de jìhuà bùguò shì kōngxiǎng bàle.

His plan is nothing but a fantasy.

Tips

usage

空想 has a negative connotation — it implies unrealistic thinking without action. Compare with 幻想 (illusion/fantasy, more emotional) and 梦想 (dream/aspiration, positive).

memory

空 (empty/vain) + 想 (think) = thinking in vain = idle fantasy.

Stroke Order

空 kōng

想 xiǎng