Usage note
理想表示心里想要达到的目标。
lǐ xiǎng biǎo shì xīn lǐ xiǎng yào dá dào de mù biāo。
Ideal means the goal you want to achieve in your heart.
Context note
理想常出现在梦想、未来和学习里。
lǐ xiǎng cháng chū xiàn zài mèng xiǎng 、 wèi lái hé xué xí lǐ。
Ideal often appears in dreams, the future, and study.
5 examples
我的理想是当老师。
wǒ de lǐ xiǎng shì dāng lǎo shī。
My ideal is to become a teacher.
他有理想。
tā yǒu lǐ xiǎng。
He has ideals.
理想很重要。
lǐ xiǎng hěn zhòng yào。
Ideal is important.
我们要努力实现理想。
wǒ men yào nǔ lì shí xiàn lǐ xiǎng。
We should work hard to achieve our ideals.
这是我的理想生活。
zhè shì wǒ de lǐ xiǎng shēng huó。
This is my ideal life.
5 mini stories
我问老师的理想是什么，他说想帮助更多孩子。
wǒ wèn lǎo shī de lǐ xiǎng shì shén me， tā shuō xiǎng bāng zhù gèng duō hái zi。
I asked the teacher what his ideal was, and he said he wanted to help more children.
每个人都有自己的理想。
měi gè rén dōu yǒu zì jǐ de lǐ xiǎng。
Everyone has their own ideals.
老师说有理想，就要慢慢努力。
lǎo shī shuō yǒu lǐ xiǎng， jiù yào màn màn nǔ lì。
The teacher said if you have ideals, you should work hard slowly.
我的理想是学会很多中文。
wǒ de lǐ xiǎng shì xué huì hěn duō zhōng wén。
My ideal is to learn a lot of Chinese.
理想让人更有方向。
lǐ xiǎng ràng rén gèng yǒu fāng xiàng。
Ideals give people more direction.
Mini dialogue
谈梦想
A
你的理想是什么？
Nǐ de lǐxiǎng shì shénme?
What is your ideal (dream)?
B
我的理想是成为一名老师。
Wǒ de lǐxiǎng shì chéngwéi yī míng lǎoshī.
My ideal is to become a teacher.
选礼物
A
这个颜色很理想，你觉得呢？
Zhège yánsè hěn lǐxiǎng, nǐ juéde ne?
This color is very ideal, what do you think?
B
是的，作为礼物很理想。
Shì de, zuòwéi lǐwù hěn lǐxiǎng.
Yes, it's very ideal as a gift.
Related words and contrasts
related
梦想
mèng xiǎng
dream
梦想 is a dream or aspiration, often more personal and imaginative than 理想.
opposite
现实
xiàn shí
reality
现实 means reality, the opposite of an ideal or dream.