【Learn Chinese】How to say “I Miss You” in Chinese (Part 1)

我想你 (wǒ xiǎng nǐ) is the go-to phrase when you want to tell a native speaker that you miss them. But if you’re looking for something a little less common and a little more poetic, this article has you covered.
This is part one of our article. Want to learn more? Read part two!

我想你 (wǒ xiǎng nǐ) — I think of you
This is the most common and direct way to say “I miss you.” It literally translates to “I think of you,” but the meaning conveys longing and missing someone’s presence.
You can add more context to your sentence to describe what you miss about the person. For example, 我想你的笑声 (wǒ xiǎng nǐ de xiào shēng) means “I miss your laughter” or 我每天都想你。 (wǒ měi tiān dōu xiǎng nǐ) means “I miss you every day.”

我好想你 (wǒ hǎo xiǎng nǐ) — I miss you so much
To express stronger feelings of missing someone, you can add the adverb 好 (hǎo) before 想, to convey a stronger sense of missing someone.
我好想你，恨不得马上见到你。(wǒ hǎo xiǎng nǐ, hèn bùdé mǎshàng jiàn dào nǐ.) - I miss you so much, I can’t wait to see you soon.

我想念你 (wǒ xiǎng niàn nǐ) — I think of you with fondness and yearning
This is a more poetic way to say “I miss you” in Chinese. It literally translates to “I think of you with longing,” which conveys a more intense and lasting feeling of missing someone. The phrase is often used in romantic relationships, but it can also be used to express missing a friend, family member or even a pet.
我在异乡时，经常想念你。 (wǒ zài yì xiāng shí, jīng cháng xiǎngniàn nǐ.) - When I was abroad, I often missed you.
我一直在想念你，希望能早日再见到你。 (wǒ yì zhí zài xiǎng niàn nǐ, xī wàng néng zǎo rì zài jiàn dào nǐ.) - I’ve been thinking of you all the time, and I hope to see you again soon.

我思念你 (wǒ sī niàn nǐ) — I think of you with deep affection and longing
This phrase is a more formal way to say “I miss you” in Chinese. It’s generally considered to be more elegant and dignified and is often used in written communication or when speaking to elders or people in authority.
我思念你，就像思念故乡一样。 (wǒ sī niàn nǐ, jiù xiàng sī niàn gù xiāng yí yàng.) - I miss you as much as I miss my hometown.
我思念你，我的亲人。 (wǒ sī niàn nǐ, wǒ de qīn rén.) - I miss you, my loved ones.

我念(着)你 (wǒ niàn (zhe) nǐ) — I think of you (in my heart)
This phrase has a more nuanced meaning than a simple “I miss you.” It can also be used to express longing, love or even obsession.
The word 念 (niàn) has a wide range of meanings, including “to think,” “to remember,” “to miss,” “to long for” and “to love.” In the context of 我念(着)你, the word 念 is usually interpreted as a combination of “to think of” and “to miss.”
我工作的时候也经常想着你。 (wǒ gōng zuò de shí hòu yě jīng cháng xiǎng zhe nǐ.) - I often think of you even when I’m working.

我很想见到你 (wǒ hěn xiǎng jiàn dào nǐ) — I really want to see you.
This is a simple and straightforward way to express your desire to be reunited with someone you miss. It emphasizes the desire to see the person again.
我很想见到你，我们什么时候能见面？ (wǒ hěn xiǎng jiàn dào nǐ, wǒmen shénme shíhòu néng jiànmiàn?) - I really want to see you, when can we meet?
我很想见到你，我们一起去看电影吧。 (wǒ hěn xiǎng jiàn dào nǐ, wǒ men yì qǐ qù kàn diàn yǐng ba.) - I really want to see you, let’s go watch a movie together.