Usage note
想念表示心里想着某人或某物。
Xiǎng niàn biǎoshì xīn lǐ xiǎngzhe mǒu rén huò mǒu wù.
Miss means to think of someone or something in one's heart.
Context note
当朋友离开时，我们会想念他们。
Dāng péngyǒu líkāi shí, wǒmen huì xiǎng niàn tāmen.
When friends leave, we miss them.
5 examples
我很想念我的奶奶。
wǒ hěn xiǎng niàn wǒ de nǎi nai。
I miss my grandma very much.
小明想念他的小狗。
xiǎo míng xiǎng niàn tā de xiǎo gǒu。
Xiao Ming misses his little dog.
她想念家乡的美食。
tā xiǎng niàn jiā xiāng de měi shí。
She misses the delicious food from her hometown.
我们想念一起玩耍的日子。
wǒ men xiǎng niàn yì qǐ wán shuǎ de rì zi。
We miss the days of playing together.
爸爸出差时，我很想念他。
bà ba chū chāi shí， wǒ hěn xiǎng niàn tā。
When Dad is on a business trip, I miss him very much.
5 mini stories
小红想念她的好朋友。她给朋友写了一封信。
xiǎo hóng xiǎng niàn tā de hǎo péng yǒu。 tā gěi péng yǒu xiě le yì fēng xìn。
Xiao Hong misses her good friend. She wrote a letter to her friend.
小刚想念他的爷爷。他打电话给爷爷。
xiǎo gāng xiǎng niàn tā de yé ye。 tā dǎ diàn huà gěi yé ye。
Xiao Gang misses his grandpa. He called his grandpa.
小美想念她的猫。她看猫的照片。
xiǎo měi xiǎng niàn tā de māo。 tā kàn māo de zhào piàn。
Xiao Mei misses her cat. She looks at the cat's photos.
小明想念学校的操场。他记得和同学跑步。
xiǎo míng xiǎng niàn xué xiào de cāo chǎng。 tā jì de hé tóng xué pǎo bù。
Xiao Ming misses the school playground. He remembers running with classmates.
小丽想念她的玩具熊。她抱着另一个小熊。
xiǎo lì xiǎng niàn tā de wán jù xióng。 tā bào zhe lìng yí gè xiǎo xióng。
Xiao Li misses her toy bear. She hugs another little bear.
Mini dialogue
想念朋友
A
你暑假会想念同学吗？
Nǐ shǔjià huì xiǎngniàn tóngxué ma?
Will you miss your classmates during summer vacation?
B
会的，我特别想念我的好朋友。
Huì de, wǒ tèbié xiǎngniàn wǒ de hǎo péngyou.
Yes, I will especially miss my good friends.
想念家人
A
奶奶不在家，我很想念她。
Nǎinai bù zài jiā, wǒ hěn xiǎngniàn tā.
Grandma is not home, I miss her very much.
B
我也想念奶奶做的饭。
Wǒ yě xiǎngniàn nǎinai zuò de fàn.
I also miss the food grandma makes.
Related words and contrasts
similar
思念
sī niàn
miss, think of
A deeper, often longer-term missing.
opposite
忘记
wàng jì
forget
The opposite of missing someone.
related
记得
jì de
remember
To keep in memory, related to missing.