想 xiǎng et 要 yào | XiaoLearn Reference

These two verbs translate to 'want,' but with different degrees of intensity and intention.

想 (xiǎng) : The desire / The envy

This is a desire, a reflection, often less categorical.
我想学中文。 (wǒ xiǎng xué Zhōngwén.) (I would like / I intend to learn Chinese).

Other meanings: Think, reflect, or miss someone (我想你 (wǒ xiǎng nǐ) : you make me miss you).

要 (yào) : The will / The decision

This is a clear will, a decision made, or a necessity.
我要学中文。 (wǒ yào xué Zhōngwén.) (I want / I am going to learn Chinese - it's decided).

Negation: To politely refuse an offer, one generally uses 不想 (bù xiǎng) rather than 不要 (bùyào) (which can seem abrupt, except for saying 'don't do that').

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