幻想 huànxiǎng to fantasize
to fantasize; to imagine; an illusion; a fantasy
How to remember 幻想: 幻 illusion + 想 think about = to fantasize.
Characters
How it is used
- To fantasize / a fantasy - often unrealistic wishful imagining: 别幻想了 (bié huànxiǎng le) stop dreaming, 不切实际的幻想 (an impractical fantasy).
- Carries a nuance of illusion detached from reality; contrast 想象 (xiǎngxiàng, neutral 'to imagine') and 理想 (a worthy ideal).
- Also the sci-fi/fantasy genre sense (科幻 = science fantasy).
Example sentences
- 这只是幻想而已。 Zhè zhǐshì huànxiǎng éryǐ.That's just your imagination.
- 这是一部科学幻想小说。 Zhèshì yībù kēxuéhuànxiǎng xiǎoshuō.This is a science fiction book.