“I don’t think that . . . ”: don’t even THINK - Cchatty

“I don’t think that . . . ”: don’t even THINK about using bùxiǎng 不想！

In English, we say: “I don’t think (that) he’s coming tonight” or “I don’t think (that) what he said is right.” But in Chinese, you cannot say “I don’t think that . . . ,” because, to the Chinese way of thinking, how can you have an opinion if you don’t think?!

I don’t think (that) he’s coming tonight.
✔ CC: Wǒ xiǎng tā jīntiān wǎnshang búhuì lái.
我想他今天晚上不会来。
✖ BC: Wǒ bùxiǎng tā jīntiān wǎnshang huì lái.
我不想他今天晚上会来。

I don’t think (that) what he said is right.
✔ CC: Wǒ xiǎng tā shuōde búduì.
我想他说得不对。
✖ BC: Wǒ bùxiǎng tā shuōde duì
我不想他说得对 。

BUT, we do use bùxiǎng 不想 WHEN we mean that we don’t feel like doing something or don’t intend to do something.

I don’t feel like going/don’t intend to go.
Wǒ bùxiǎng qù.
我不想去。

I don’t feel like eating it.
Wǒ bùxiǎng chī
我不想吃。