This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. Chinese to English
  3. Education / Pedagogy

想 vs 以為 (2/2)

English translation: think vs think (in a manner that expresses the likelihood of error)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Chinese term or phrase:想 vs 以為
English translation:think vs think (in a manner that expresses the likelihood of error)
Entered by: Roddy Stegemann

01:41 Aug 13, 2006
Chinese to English translations [Non-PRO]
Social Sciences - Education / Pedagogy / Grammatikalische Analyse (Grammatical Analysis)
Chinese term or phrase: 想 vs 以為 (2/2)
Sentence: 還沒有結婚的人很想結婚，但是很多結了婚的人，以為還是不結婚好些。

1st Attempt: Those who are unmarried often think about marrying, but many who are married wish that they were not.

Question One (1/2): Thanks to Chinoise from several weeks back, I have no trouble understanding the use of 還是, but I am having trouble with the occurrence of 還 at the beginning of this sentence. Is 還Ａ，但是Ｂa common pattern in written Chinese?

i) If so, please provide additional examples of this pattern's use.
ii) If not, please explain how the first occurrence of 還 is used in this sentence.

Question Two (2/2): If 想 means to think about what one would like to see happen in the future, does 以為 simply mean to think? What is the difference between these to phrases? Are there other verb forms that can express the same idea as 以為?

You are welcome to comment on other parts of the sentence, as well.

Reference: http://homepage.mac.com/moogoonghwa/tsongkit/contents.html#p...

Warning: In order to provide ProZ.com users with the best glossary entries possible, more than one question for the same entry will be asked from time to time. Please keep in mind when responding that you will be graded on your responses to ALL questions asked.
Roddy Stegemann
United States
Local time: 19:55
還沒有結婚的人很想結婚，但是很多結了婚的人，以為還是不結婚好些
Explanation:
1 ) 還沒有
The first 還 occurring at the beginning of the sentence you must see in connection with the 沒有 that follows it. 還沒有 is a fix phrase that means " have not yet" or more emphatic "Still have not yet". If you ask a person, for example, if he has eaten lunch "have you had lunch yet?" and he has not eaten yet, the answer would be "還沒有" Not yet.

2) 還...，但是 is not really a fixed pattern.

3) 以為 ... certainly is a form of thinking. However, this term is most commonly used for assuming something wrongly.
Here an exerpt from a dictionary :
feel, think (used in reference to the past: i thought...but i was wrong)!!!

I am not aware of any "elegant" synonym that expresses the same. At the most it could be clumsily replaced by 想错 which grates in the ear and very heavily expresses the opinion of the writer.

- 想 1) think, feel, consider 2) suppose, reckon 3) want to, feel like 4) to miss.

If 想 had been set in the sentence, it would mean that the married people are of a certain opinion. It is much more neutral than 以為.
In that case, 想 could be replaced by 認為.

With regard to the translation of the sentence, the last bit could be translated "... not to be married is somewhat better ..." What do you think?

Best wishes!
Selected response from:

Abbatrans
Local time: 19:55
Grading comment
Final Rendering: Unmarried people often think about marrying. In contrast, many married people think it would be better, if they did not.

Acknowledgement: I would like to thank both Elfie and franksf for their very useful input, but must reward Elfie for steering me in what probably is the better direction -- namely, that married people are not suggesting that married people divorce, rather that unmarried people should think twice before marrying. It is in this context that my failure to understand the proper use of 以為 played a crucial role.

I also appreciated well Scott Webber's additional note.

Thanks for being there Wenjer!

Discussion: Please see http://homepage.mac.com/moogoonghwa/tsongkit/part3/III-1b-g.html#s16 for further discussion regarding the context of this question.

My very best from the land of no mountains surrounded by sea on many sides.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2還沒有結婚的人很想結婚，但是很多結了婚的人，以為還是不結婚好些
Abbatrans
3 +1想 more neutral and generic
franksf


  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
還沒有結婚的人很想結婚，但是很多結了婚的人，以為還是不結婚好些


Explanation:
1 ) 還沒有
The first 還 occurring at the beginning of the sentence you must see in connection with the 沒有 that follows it. 還沒有 is a fix phrase that means " have not yet" or more emphatic "Still have not yet". If you ask a person, for example, if he has eaten lunch "have you had lunch yet?" and he has not eaten yet, the answer would be "還沒有" Not yet.

2) 還...，但是 is not really a fixed pattern.

3) 以為 ... certainly is a form of thinking. However, this term is most commonly used for assuming something wrongly.
Here an exerpt from a dictionary :
feel, think (used in reference to the past: i thought...but i was wrong)!!!

I am not aware of any "elegant" synonym that expresses the same. At the most it could be clumsily replaced by 想错 which grates in the ear and very heavily expresses the opinion of the writer.

- 想 1) think, feel, consider 2) suppose, reckon 3) want to, feel like 4) to miss.

If 想 had been set in the sentence, it would mean that the married people are of a certain opinion. It is much more neutral than 以為.
In that case, 想 could be replaced by 認為.

With regard to the translation of the sentence, the last bit could be translated "... not to be married is somewhat better ..." What do you think?

Best wishes!

Abbatrans
Local time: 19:55
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 3
Grading comment
Final Rendering: Unmarried people often think about marrying. In contrast, many married people think it would be better, if they did not.

Acknowledgement: I would like to thank both Elfie and franksf for their very useful input, but must reward Elfie for steering me in what probably is the better direction -- namely, that married people are not suggesting that married people divorce, rather that unmarried people should think twice before marrying. It is in this context that my failure to understand the proper use of 以為 played a crucial role.

I also appreciated well Scott Webber's additional note.

Thanks for being there Wenjer!

Discussion: Please see http://homepage.mac.com/moogoonghwa/tsongkit/part3/III-1b-g.html#s16 for further discussion regarding the context of this question.

My very best from the land of no mountains surrounded by sea on many sides.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Scott Webber (X): I agree. 以為 can be literally translated as "take to be", which, as in English, carries the implication that how things actually are are or may be different than how you take them. It is often used in the sense of 錯以為, "wrongly take to be".
5 hrs
agree  Wenjer Leuschel (X)
14 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
想 more neutral and generic


Explanation:
想 pretty much corresponds to "think", neutral, generic and objective (in the way of thinking), neither necessarily possitive nor negative. 以為 is more used in assuming something falsely such as in: "I took A for granted but the result turned out to be B not A." But 以為 can also imply the usually neutral 认为, as in the context of married couples 认为 that they'd be better off not getting married in the first place. In a debate, 以為 can be a modest way to express one's (different) opinion, I 以為 is not so strong as I 认为.

franksf
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Wenjer Leuschel (X)
14 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search