想家
To be homesick
Littéralement: Think home
Use `想家` to express emotional nostalgia for your home or family in any casual or sincere conversation.
En 15 secondes
- Expresses the emotional ache of missing your home or family.
- Combines 'think' (xiǎng) and 'home' (jiā) into a simple verb phrase.
- Very common for travelers, students, or expats living abroad.
Signification
It describes that deep, tugging feeling in your heart when you miss your home, your family, or even your favorite local snacks while you're away.
Exemples clés
3 sur 6Texting a friend after a long day in a new city
我今天特别想家。
I really miss home today.
Eating a familiar dish at a restaurant
这个菜的味道让我很想家。
The taste of this dish makes me really homesick.
A boss asking a new expat employee how they are doing
刚来中国的时候，我有点儿想家。
When I first came to China, I was a little homesick.
Contexte culturel
The concept of 'home' (jiā) is the bedrock of Chinese society. The phrase is immortalized in ancient Tang Dynasty poetry, specifically Li Bai's 'Quiet Night Thought,' which every Chinese child learns. It reflects the deep-rooted value of filial piety and the pain of being separated from one's ancestral roots.
The 'Le' Factor
Adding `了` (le) to the end (`想家了`) makes it sound more natural. It implies that the feeling has just hit you or is currently happening.
Don't confuse with 'Xiǎng nian'
Use `想家` for the place/concept of home. Use `想念` (xiǎngniàn) for specific people, like `想念你` (miss you).
En 15 secondes
- Expresses the emotional ache of missing your home or family.
- Combines 'think' (xiǎng) and 'home' (jiā) into a simple verb phrase.
- Very common for travelers, students, or expats living abroad.
What It Means
想家 is one of the most relatable feelings in the world. The first character 想 means to think or to want. The second character 家 means home or family. Put them together and you get 'thinking of home.' It is that bittersweet ache you feel when you are far away. It is not just about a building. It is about the people and the food. It is a very warm, human expression.
How To Use It
You use it as a verb phrase. You can say 我想家了 to mean 'I am homesick now.' The 了 at the end shows a change in state. Maybe you were fine yesterday, but today you saw a photo of your mom's cooking. Now, you are feeling the feels. You can also add modifiers. Use 很 or 非常 to show how much you miss home. It is a very simple and direct way to share your emotions.
When To Use It
Use it when you are studying abroad and feeling lonely. Use it when you are on a long business trip. It is perfect for texting your parents to show you care. You can even use it at a restaurant. If the food tastes like your hometown, tell your friends 我想家了. It is a great way to bond over shared nostalgia. Everyone has a home they miss sometimes.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use it for a short trip. If you are at the grocery store for ten minutes, it sounds dramatic. Avoid using it in high-pressure business negotiations. It might make you look like you want to quit and leave. Also, do not confuse it with 回家. 回家 means the physical act of going home. 想家 is the emotional feeling of missing it. Don't say 我想家 if you are actually standing in your living room!
Cultural Background
In Chinese culture, family is the absolute center of life. There is a famous poem by Li Bai about looking at the moon and 'thinking of home.' For centuries, Chinese people have traveled for work or exams. This phrase carries a lot of weight and history. During the Spring Festival, millions of people travel just to stop feeling 想家. It is considered a very noble and natural emotion. It shows you are a person who values your roots.
Common Variations
You might hear 思乡. This is a more poetic, formal version. You will see it in songs or literature. Another one is 想念家人, which specifically means missing your family members. If you want to be more casual, you can just say 想家了. If you are really suffering, you can say 想家想得厉害. That means you are 'terribly' homesick. It sounds a bit more intense and desperate.
Notes d'usage
The phrase is neutral and safe for all ages and most social hierarchies. It is most frequently used with the particle `了` to indicate the onset of the feeling.
The 'Le' Factor
Adding `了` (le) to the end (`想家了`) makes it sound more natural. It implies that the feeling has just hit you or is currently happening.
Don't confuse with 'Xiǎng nian'
Use `想家` for the place/concept of home. Use `想念` (xiǎngniàn) for specific people, like `想念你` (miss you).
The Moon Connection
In China, the full moon is a symbol of reunion. If you see a full moon and say `我想家了`, it's a very poetic and culturally 'correct' moment.
Exemples
6我今天特别想家。
I really miss home today.
Using '特别' (tèbié) adds emphasis to the feeling.
这个菜的味道让我很想家。
The taste of this dish makes me really homesick.
A common way to link sensory experiences to nostalgia.
刚来中国的时候，我有点儿想家。
When I first came to China, I was a little homesick.
Safe for professional settings to show vulnerability and growth.
这里的咖啡太难喝了，我想家了！
The coffee here is so bad, I miss home!
Using homesickness as a humorous hyperbole for bad local options.
你不觉得想家吗？
Don't you feel homesick?
A standard way to check in on a friend's well-being.
爸爸妈妈，我很想家，也很想你们。
Mom and Dad, I miss home and I miss you too.
Pairs 'missing home' with 'missing people' for maximum impact.
Teste-toi
Choose the correct word to complete the feeling of missing home.
在国外住了三个月，我开始___了。
The context of living abroad for three months suggests the emotional feeling of missing home (`想家`), not the physical act of going there (`回家`).
How do you say 'very homesick'?
他___想家，因为他是第一次离开父母。
Adverbs of degree like `很` (hěn) are used before `想家` to show intensity.
🎉 Score : /2
Aides visuelles
Formality of '想家'
Texting friends or family
想家了 T_T
Standard daily conversation
我有点儿想家。
Speeches or literature
心中满是思乡之情。
When to say '想家'
Eating mom's favorite recipe
味道很像，我想家了。
First week at a new job abroad
压力大的时候会想家。
During a traditional festival
中秋节最想家。
Looking at old photo albums
看照片让我很想家。
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNot directly. 想家 is for the home/family unit. To miss a person, use 想 or 想念, like 我想你 (I miss you).
Not at all! It is a very normal emotion. Friends often bond by talking about how much they miss their hometowns.
想家 is spoken and common. 思乡 (sīxiāng) is literary and used in poems or formal writing.
You can say 我不想家 (wǒ bù xiǎng jiā). It's a simple negation.
Usually no. It implies being far away from your roots or childhood home, not just a different building.
Yes, if you have a friendly relationship. It shows you are human, but don't say it every day or they might worry you'll quit!
Not necessarily. It just describes the feeling. You can be 想家 but still happy to be where you are.
The 了 indicates a change. 我想家了 means 'I have become homesick' or 'The feeling has arrived.'
Not really a slang word, but people might use emojis like 🏠 or 😭 to express it in texts.
Yes, it is one of the first emotional phrases children learn when they go to kindergarten or camp.
Expressions liées
思乡
Homesickness (literary/poetic)
想念
To miss/long for (people or things)
回家
To go home (physical action)
老家
Hometown/Ancestral home
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