恨不得 hènbude

恨不得(hènbude)means “恨不得: to wish desperately one could (but can't)”. 恨不得 expresses an intense, almost impossible wish: 'I so wish I could (do it right now)'. Formation: 恨不得 + 立刻/马上 + 动词(做不到的强烈愿望)

恨不得: to wish desperately one could (but can't)

HSK6

Formation

恨不得 + 立刻/马上 + 动词(做不到的强烈愿望)

Explanation

恨不得 expresses an intense, almost impossible wish: 'I so wish I could (do it right now)'. It exaggerates the speaker's own eagerness about something that cannot really happen, so it is often followed by 马上/立刻 and an extreme action. It describes one's own feeling, not a request to others.

Examples

恨不得 马上飞回家。
wǒ hènbude mǎshàng fēi huí jiā.
I wish I could fly home right now.
他累得 恨不得 立刻躺下睡觉。
tā lèi de hènbude lìkè tǎng xià shuìjiào.
He's so tired he just wants to lie down and sleep instantly.

Note

About one's own wish; contrast 巴不得 (may involve others). 得 neutral (hènbude).

FAQ

恨不得 — what does it mean and how is it used?

恨不得: to wish desperately one could (but can't). 恨不得 expresses an intense, almost impossible wish: 'I so wish I could (do it right now)'. It exaggerates the speaker's own eagerness about something that cannot really happen, so it is often followed by 马上/立刻 and an extreme action. It describes one's own feeling, not a request to others.

恨不得 — how do you form it?

恨不得 + 立刻/马上 + 动词(做不到的强烈愿望)

恨不得 — any usage notes?

About one's own wish; contrast 巴不得 (may involve others). 得 neutral (hènbude).

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