The everyday way to say "I think" or "I feel": how to offer an opinion or impression, how it carries physical sensations, and how it differs from the formal 认为 and from 想.
~4 min read
字源zìyuánEtymology & Structure
字源洞见 zìyuán dòngjiàn · Etymological Insight
觉 jué (traditional 覺) means to sense, to become aware, to wake up to; it carries 见 jiàn (to see) at its base, awareness as a kind of inner seeing. 得 de here is a verbal complement meaning to attain or arrive at a state. Together 觉得 is "to come to sense," to arrive at an awareness or impression, which is exactly how the word works: it introduces what one has come to feel or think.
觉 is polyphonic, and the contrast is worth fixing early. As jué it means awareness, sensation, realisation (觉得, 感觉 gǎnjué a feeling, 觉悟 awakening). As jiào it means sleep, in the single high-frequency word 睡觉 shuìjiào (to sleep). Same character, two readings, two worlds: waking awareness and sleep. The 觉 of 觉得 is the awareness one, the inner sensing from which opinions and feelings emerge.
觉得juédeThe Core Verb
觉得juédeto think; to feel; to be of the impression that
V 动词 dòngcí
Introduces a subjective opinion, impression, or feeling. It typically takes a whole clause as its object: 我觉得 + [statement] = "I think / feel that [statement]." This is the everyday "in my opinion," softer and more personal than 认为. It also expresses physical and emotional states (觉得累, feel tired). Second syllable neutral tone (juéde).
觉得 in use · the core patternsSubject + 觉得 + Clause , 我觉得他是对的 · I think he's right Subject + 觉得 + Adjective phrase , 我觉得很冷 · I feel cold Subject + 不觉得 + Clause , 我不觉得贵 · I don't think it's expensive 你觉得…怎么样？ , what do you think of…? (asking opinion) 觉得 + Object + Adjective , 我觉得这件衣服很好看 · I think this outfit looks great
语法重点 yǔfǎ zhòngdiǎn · Grammar Focus
Two patterns dominate. To express an opinion, 觉得 takes a full clause: 我觉得 + [whole sentence]. To express a sensation, it takes an adjectival predicate directly: 觉得 + 冷 / 累 / 饿 / 开心 (feel cold / tired / hungry / happy). The negation 不觉得 means "don't think / don't feel," and it negates 觉得 itself, so 我不觉得贵 is "I don't think it's expensive," not "I think it's not expensive" (which would be 我觉得不贵). The placement of 不 changes the meaning, a point worth practising.
辨析biànxīWays to Think
辨析 biànxī · Distinguishing the Words
Three verbs cluster around English "think," and they are not interchangeable. 觉得 juéde is subjective and informal: a personal feeling or impression (我觉得不错, "I feel it's pretty good"). 认为 rènwéi is formal and assertive: a considered judgement or stated position (专家认为, "experts hold that"), at home in writing, argument, and firm conclusions. Using 认为 in casual chat sounds stiff; using 觉得 in a formal report sounds too soft.
想 xiǎng is a different verb again. Its everyday senses are "to want to" (我想去, I want to go) and "to ponder / to miss" (让我想想, let me think it over; 我想家, I miss home). It does not introduce an opinion the way 觉得 does. So "I think this is good" is 我觉得这个好, not 我想这个好. Match the verb to the act: feeling or impression (觉得), firm view (认为), wanting or pondering (想).
相关xiāngguānRelated Phrases
你觉得呢？nǐ juéde ne?What do you think?An extremely common conversational turn, throwing the question back to the other person. The particle 呢 ne softens it and invites their view. One of the most natural ways to ask for an opinion in spoken Chinese, and a good phrase to keep a conversation going.
我觉得无所谓。wǒ juéde wúsuǒwèi.I don't think it matters either way; I have no preference.A useful everyday phrase pairing 觉得 with 无所谓 (it makes no difference, I don't mind). Used to signal an easygoing, no-strong-opinion stance when asked to choose. Shows how 觉得 frames even a non-opinion as a personal impression.
自我感觉良好zìwǒ gǎnjué liánghǎoto feel good about oneself — often wryly, overly self-satisfiedA common modern expression using 感觉 gǎnjué (feeling), a close relative of 觉得. Literally "self-feeling is good," it describes someone with a high (often too high) opinion of themselves. Usually said with a touch of irony about another person's unearned confidence.
相关xiāngguānRelated
Related entries — pages and vocabulary in the neighbourhood of this one
觉得 juéde means 'to think' or 'to feel' in the sense of holding an opinion or impression. It introduces a subjective judgement: 我觉得这个很好 ('I think this is good') or 我觉得有点冷 ('I feel a bit cold'). It is the most natural everyday way to say 'I think / in my opinion' in Mandarin, softer and more personal than the formal 认为 rènwéi.
What is the difference between 觉得 and 认为?
Both can translate as 'to think,' but 觉得 juéde is subjective and informal, expressing a personal feeling or impression ('I feel that…'), while 认为 rènwéi is more formal and assertive, expressing a considered judgement or position ('I hold the view that…'). You would use 觉得 in casual conversation and 认为 in writing, debate, or when stating a firm conclusion. 觉得 can also express physical sensation; 认为 cannot.
What is the difference between 觉得 and 想?
觉得 juéde introduces an opinion or impression ('I think this is nice'). 想 xiǎng has two main senses: 'to want to' (我想去, 'I want to go') and 'to ponder / to miss' (我想一下, 'let me think it over'; 我想你, 'I miss you'). So 觉得 is for opinions and feelings, while 想 is for wanting, considering, or missing. They are not interchangeable.
Can 觉得 mean a physical feeling?
Yes. Besides introducing opinions, 觉得 expresses physical or emotional sensations: 我觉得很累 ('I feel very tired'), 我觉得有点饿 ('I feel a bit hungry'), 我觉得很开心 ('I feel happy'). In this use it overlaps with English 'to feel.' The related character 觉 also appears in 睡觉 shuìjiào ('to sleep'), where it is pronounced jiào, a useful reminder that 觉 is polyphonic.