kěwàng: 渴望 - To Crave, To Yearn For, To Thirst For

• Keywords: kěwàng, 渴望, meaning of kewang, Chinese word for yearn, crave in Chinese, desire in Chinese, hope vs crave, 渴望 vs 希望, Chinese vocabulary, HSK 5 word
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 渴望 (kěwàng), a powerful Chinese verb that translates to “crave,” “yearn for,” or “thirst for.” This term expresses a deep, emotional longing far stronger than a simple “want.” This page breaks down its characters, cultural significance, and practical usage, contrasting it with similar words like 希望 (xīwàng) to help you master its evocative meaning. Learn how to use `渴望` to express profound desires for things like freedom, love, knowledge, and success through clear examples.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): kěwàng
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To have an intense and deep desire or longing for something; to yearn or thirst for.
• In a Nutshell: `渴望` isn't your everyday “want.” Think of it as a “want” that comes from the soul. It implies a sense of emptiness or lack and an intense, almost physical feeling of needing to fill that void. It perfectly captures the English concepts of “to crave,” “to yearn for,” or “to thirst for.” It’s a powerful, emotional word reserved for things you deeply and sincerely long for, not for trivial desires.

• 渴 (kě): This character means “thirsty.” The left-side radical 氵(shuǐ) is the “water” radical, immediately connecting the character to liquids. The right side, 曷 (hé), provides the phonetic sound. So, `渴` is fundamentally about the intense physical desire for water.
• 望 (wàng): This character means “to gaze into the distance” or “to hope for.” The components can be visualized as a person (壬) standing on a mound of earth (土) gazing at the moon (月). It captures a feeling of looking toward something far away or in the future with hope.

Putting them together, 渴望 (kěwàng) paints a vivid picture: to be so thirsty (渴) for something that you are constantly gazing into the distance (望), hoping it will appear. This combination beautifully illustrates an intense, soul-deep longing.

`渴望` is a word heavy with emotional and literary weight in Chinese culture. It frequently appears in poetry, songs, and speeches to articulate profound personal or collective desires. A nation can `渴望` peace (渴望和平), and an individual can `渴望` true love (渴望真爱). A useful comparison for Western learners is to contrast `渴望` with the English word “want.” In English, “I want” is a common, all-purpose phrase. You can “want” a sandwich, and you can “want” world peace. In Chinese, you would use 想要 (xiǎngyào) for the sandwich, but `渴望` for world peace. Using `渴望` signals a desire that is profound, sincere, and often tied to a sense of lack or hardship. This ties into the cultural value of perseverance. The feeling of `渴望` is often the fuel for `吃苦 (chī kǔ)`—enduring hardship—to achieve a long-term goal. A student from a poor village who `渴望`s knowledge will study tirelessly to change their fate. This deep yearning is seen as a powerful and noble motivator.

`渴望` is used in both formal and informal contexts, but it always carries a sense of gravity and emotional depth. It is not a casual word.

• Formal & Literary Contexts: It is common in writing, news reports, and speeches to describe societal or grand-scale desires. For example, “The people crave stability and prosperity.”
• Personal & Emotional Contexts: In conversation, using `渴望` immediately elevates the emotional intensity. Saying “我渴望见到你” (Wǒ kěwàng jiàn dào nǐ) is much more powerful than “我想见到你” (Wǒ xiǎng jiàn dào nǐ). It means something closer to “I'm dying to see you” or “I yearn to see you.”
• Connotation: The connotation is almost always positive or neutral. It describes a deep and natural human emotion. You would not use it to describe a craving for something negative or trivial.

• Example 1:
  • 经过多年的战争，人民渴望和平。
  • Pinyin: Jīngguò duōnián de zhànzhēng, rénmín kěwàng hépíng.
  • English: After many years of war, the people yearn for peace.
  • Analysis: This shows a collective, deep-seated desire for an abstract concept (peace). This is a classic and formal usage of the term.
• Example 2:
  • 他是一个渴望成功的年轻人。
  • Pinyin: Tā shì yīgè kěwàng chénggōng de niánqīng rén.
  • English: He is a young man who craves success.
  • Analysis: Here, `渴望` describes a powerful ambition. It implies he doesn't just “want” success; he longs for it with his whole being.
• Example 3:
  • 长期在国外生活，他非常渴望家乡的味道。
  • Pinyin: Chángqī zài guówài shēnghuó, tā fēicháng kěwàng jiāxiāng de wèidào.
  • English: After living abroad for a long time, he desperately craved the taste of his hometown.
  • Analysis: This example connects `渴望` to a sensory and emotional experience—nostalgia. The longing is deep and personal.
• Example 4:
  • 作为一个科学家，她渴望发现宇宙的奥秘。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi yīgè kēxuéjiā, tā kěwàng fāxiàn yǔzhòu de àomì.
  • English: As a scientist, she thirsts for discovering the secrets of the universe.
  • Analysis: “Thirsts for” is a perfect translation here. It highlights an intense intellectual desire for knowledge and discovery.
• Example 5:
  • 这个孩子渴望得到父母的关爱。
  • Pinyin: Zhège háizi kěwàng dédào fùmǔ de guān'ài.
  • English: This child yearns for his parents' love and care.
  • Analysis: `渴望` is often used to describe deep emotional needs, like the need for love and affection, especially when they are lacking.
• Example 6:
  • 在沙漠里，他们最渴望的就是水。
  • Pinyin: Zài shāmò lǐ, tāmen zuì kěwàng de jiùshì shuǐ.
  • English: In the desert, what they craved most was water.
  • Analysis: This brings the meaning back to the character `渴` (thirsty). It's a literal, life-or-death craving.
• Example 7:
  • 他的眼神里充满了对自由的渴望。
  • Pinyin: Tā de yǎnshén lǐ chōngmǎnle duì zìyóu de kěwàng.
  • English: His eyes were full of a longing for freedom.
  • Analysis: Here, `渴望` is used as a noun: “a longing/craving.” The structure “对…的渴望” (duì…de kěwàng) means “a yearning for…”
• Example 8:
  • 我渴望有一天能环游世界。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ kěwàng yǒu yītiān néng huányóu shìjiè.
  • English: I yearn to be able to travel around the world one day.
  • Analysis: This expresses a deep, long-held dream or life goal. It's much stronger than simply saying “I want to travel.”
• Example 9:
  • 球队渴望赢得这场重要的比赛。
  • Pinyin: Qiúduì kěwàng yíngdé zhè chǎng zhòngyào de bǐsài.
  • English: The team is desperate to win this important game.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates a strong, focused desire for a specific goal. “Desperate to win” captures the intensity of `渴望` in this competitive context.
• Example 10:
  • 每个人都渴望被理解和尊重。
  • Pinyin: Měi gè rén dōu kěwàng bèi lǐjiě hé zūnzhòng.
  • English: Everyone longs to be understood and respected.
  • Analysis: This sentence speaks to a universal human need, highlighting the profound and fundamental nature of the desires that `渴望` describes.

The most common mistake for learners is using `渴望` for simple, everyday wants. It's crucial to distinguish it from similar but less intense words.

• `渴望` (kěwàng) vs. `希望` (xīwàng) - To Yearn vs. To Hope
  • `希望 (xīwàng)` means “to hope” or “to wish.” It's a general, often passive desire for a positive outcome. It lacks the intense, personal feeling of `渴望`.
  • Correct: 我希望明天天气好。(Wǒ xīwàng míngtiān tiānqì hǎo.) - I hope the weather is good tomorrow.
  • Incorrect: 我渴望明天天气好。 (This sounds overly dramatic, as if you've been trapped indoors by a monsoon for months.)
  • Use `渴望` for a deep longing; use `希望` for a general wish.
• `渴望` (kěwàng) vs. `想要` (xiǎngyào) - To Crave vs. To Want
  • `想要 (xiǎngyào)` is the most common and direct way to say “to want.” It's used for everyday needs and desires, from food to objects to actions.
  • Correct: 我想要一杯咖啡。(Wǒ xiǎngyào yī bēi kāfēi.) - I want a cup of coffee.
  • Incorrect Usage Example: 我渴望一杯咖啡。(Wǒ kěwàng yī bēi kāfēi.)
  • Why it's wrong: This is grammatically correct but contextually absurd unless you've been deprived of coffee for weeks and are suffering from withdrawal. It makes a small desire sound like a life-or-death situation. Use `想要` for everyday items.

• 希望 (xīwàng) - To hope; a general wish for something positive, much less intense than `渴望`.
• 向往 (xiàngwǎng) - To yearn for, to look forward to (often a place, a lifestyle, or an idealized concept). It implies admiration, like yearning for a peaceful life in the countryside.
• 期待 (qīdài) - To look forward to, to anticipate. This focuses on the feeling of eagerly waiting for a specific future event, like a vacation or a meeting.
• 欲望 (yùwàng) - Desire, lust, appetite. This term is more primal and can sometimes carry a neutral or even negative connotation, referring to strong physical or material urges.
• 追求 (zhuīqiú) - To pursue, to seek. This is the action you take because of your `渴望`. If you `渴望` knowledge, you will `追求` it by studying hard.
• 梦想 (mèngxiǎng) - Dream, aspiration. A `梦想` is often the object of one's `渴望`.
• 盼望 (pànwàng) - To look forward to, to hope for. Similar to `期待`, but often implies waiting for a long time, like parents `盼望` their child's return.