思想 sīxiǎng thought
thought; thinking; idea; ideology
How to remember 思想: 思 think + 想 think about = thought.
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How it is used
- Thought as ideology or a developed body of ideas - 他的思想很先进 (tā de sīxiǎng hěn xiānjìn) his thinking is progressive; 儒家思想 Confucian thought.
- Big-picture and often political/philosophical, unlike 想法 (xiǎngfǎ, a casual opinion) or 思考 (the act of thinking). You have 思想 (a worldview); you 思考 (ponder).
- Common: 思想教育 (ideological education), 思想工作 (persuasion work).