想
idea, thought, conception, think
Readings
On'yomi
- ソウ
- ソ
Kun'yomi
- おも.う
Meaning
想 centers on mental activity: forming ideas, thoughts, and conceptions, or the act of thinking itself.
Most common words using 想
23 of 271- 想像そうぞうN3
imagination; supposition; guess
- 予想よそうN2
expectation; anticipation; prediction; forecast; conjecture
- 感想かんそうN3
impressions; thoughts; feelings; reactions
- 妄想もうそう
delusion; wild idea; (wild) fancy; (ridiculous) fantasy
- 理想りそうN3
ideal; ideals
- 思想しそうN3
thought; idea; ideology
- 想定そうていN1
hypothesis; supposition; assumption; expectation; anticipation
- 可哀想かわいそうN3
poor; pitiable; pathetic; pitiful
- 発想はっそうN2
idea; conception
- 仮想かそう
imagination; supposition; virtual; potential (enemy)
- 幻想げんそうN1
fantasy; illusion; vision; dream
- 構想こうそうN1
plan; plot; idea; conception; vision; scheme
- 連想れんそうN3
association (of ideas); being reminded (of something); suggestion
- 想そう
conception; idea; thought
- 瞑想めいそう
meditation; contemplation
- 空想くうそうN2
daydream; fantasy; fancy; vision
- 愛想あいそN1
amiability; friendliness; affability; sociability
- 回想かいそうN1
recollection; retrospection; reflection; reminiscence
- 夢想むそうN1
dream; vision; reverie
- 予想外よそうがい
unexpected; unforeseen; strange
- 理想的りそうてきN3
ideal
- 想像力そうぞうりょくN3
(power of) imagination
- 予想以上よそういじょう
more than expected
Study
Etymology
想 combines 相 (mutual, aspect) with 心 (heart/mind), suggesting the mind forming images or ideas. The exact historical development is well established as a phono-semantic compound where 相 contributes the sound and the idea of mutual interaction.
Meaning mnemonic
The top part 相 looks like a tree 木 beside an eye 目, and the bottom is the heart 心. Picture your mind's eye looking at a tree and your heart forming an idea about it: that mental image is a thought.
Reading mnemonic
For ソウ, imagine a thought so profound it makes you say 'so...' out loud: so -> ソウ, as your mind forms a deep idea.