verb HSK 4
to gaze · to look into the distance · to hope · to expect
Meaning
望 primarily means to look or gaze, especially toward something far away or upward. It carries a sense of looking with intention or longing. The character also extends to mean 'to hope' or 'to expect', reflecting the idea of looking forward to something.
Usage
望 is commonly used in formal or literary contexts for looking, and appears frequently in compound words. When meaning 'to hope', it's more formal than 希望 (xīwàng). The character often appears in phrases about reputation (名望) or the 15th day of the lunar month (望日).
Examples
- 01他站在山顶上向远处望去。.He stood on the mountaintop and gazed into the distance.
- 02我们都望你能成功。.We all hope that you can succeed.
Common collocations
- 名望fame, reputation
- 期望to expect, expectation
- 愿望wish, desire
- 失望disappointed, to lose hope
Origin
The character 望 originally depicted a person standing and looking into the distance, sometimes shown with the moon component, suggesting looking toward the full moon.