The difference between “觉得 (juéde)” and “以为 (yǐwéi)” 

Both 觉得 (juéde) and 以为 (yǐwéi) can mean “to think” or “to feel” in English, but they are used differently in Chinese. Here’s how they compare:

1. 觉得 (juéde) – “Feel / Think” (Subjective Opinion or Perception)

– Used to express personal feelings, opinions, or perceptions.

– Often based on intuition, emotion, or sensory experience.

– Does **not** imply a strong belief or potential mistake.

– Can be used for present or ongoing thoughts.

Examples:

– 我觉得今天很热。 (Wǒ juéde jīntiān hěn rè.) – *I feel (that) it’s very hot today.*)

– 他觉得这个电影很有趣。 (Tā juéde zhège diànyǐng hěn yǒuqù.) – *He thinks this movie is very interesting.*)

– 你觉得怎么样？ (Nǐ juéde zěnmeyàng?) – *What do you think?*

-2. 以为 (yǐwéi) – “Thought (but was wrong)” (Misconception or Wrong Assumption)

– Used when someone **thought something was true, but later realized it was wrong**.

– Often implies **a mistaken belief or assumption**.

– Usually refers to **past thoughts** (not present opinions).

– Similar to *”I thought… (but now I know it’s not true)”* in English.

**Examples:**

– 我以为今天是星期五。 (Wǒ yǐwéi jīntiān shì xīngqīwǔ.) – *I thought today was Friday (but it’s not).*

– 他以为我不喜欢他。 (Tā yǐwéi wǒ bù xǐhuan tā.) – *He thought I didn’t like him (but he was wrong).*

– 我以为你会来。 (Wǒ yǐwéi nǐ huì lái.) – *I thought you would come (but you didn’t).*

Key Difference:

| Word | Meaning | Implies Mistake? | Time Reference | Usage |

|——|———|——————|—————-|——-|

| **觉得** | “Feel / Think” | No | Present / Ongoing | Personal opinion or perception |

| **以为** | “Thought (but was wrong)” | Yes | Past | Mistaken belief |

 **Example Contrast:**

– ✅ **觉得**: 我觉得他很聪明。 (*I think he’s smart.*) → Just an opinion.  

– ✅ **以为**: 我以为他很聪明（其实不是）。 (*I thought he was smart (but he’s not).*) → Mistaken belief.

### **When to Use Which?**

– Use **觉得** for **present thoughts, feelings, or opinions** (no mistake implied).  

– Use **以为** for **past thoughts that turned out to be wrong**.  

More **real-life conversation examples** to clarify the difference between **觉得 (juéde)** and **以为 (yǐwéi)**.  

### **1. 觉得 (juéde) – “Feel / Think” (Subjective Opinion)**

Used when expressing **personal feelings, impressions, or opinions** (no mistake implied).  

#### **Conversation Examples:**

🔹 A:** 你觉得这家餐厅怎么样？ *(Nǐ juéde zhè jiā cāntīng zěnmeyàng?)*  

      B:** 我觉得很好吃！ *(Wǒ juéde hěn hǎochī!)*  

→ A: “What do you think of this restaurant?”  

     B: “I think it’s delicious!”* (Just an opinion, no mistake.)  

🔹 A: 你累了吗？ *(Nǐ lèi le ma?)*  

      B:我觉得有点累。 *(Wǒ juéde yǒudiǎn lèi.)*  

→  A: “Are you tired?”  

       B: “I feel a little tired.”* (Expressing a feeling.)  

🔹 A:为什么你不喜欢这个颜色？ *(Wèishénme nǐ bù xǐhuan zhège yánsè?)*  

      B: 我觉得太亮了。 *(Wǒ juéde tài liàng le.)*  

→ A: “Why don’t you like this color?”  

      B: “I think it’s too bright.”* (Personal preference.)  

### 2. 以为 (yǐwéi) – “Thought (but was wrong)” (Mistaken Belief)**

Used when someone **had a wrong assumption** and later realized it wasn’t true.  

#### **Conversation Examples:**

🔹 A: 你今天怎么没带伞？ *(Nǐ jīntiān zěnme méi dài sǎn?)*  

       B: 我以为不会下雨！ *(Wǒ yǐwéi bù huì xià yǔ!)*  

→ A: “Why didn’t you bring an umbrella today?”  

      B: “I thought it wouldn’t rain (but it did)!”* (Wrong assumption.)  

🔹 A: 你怎么买了这么多牛奶？ *(Nǐ zěnme mǎi le zhème duō niúnǎi?)*  

      B: 我以为家里没有了。 *(Wǒ yǐwéi jiālǐ méiyǒu le.)*  

→ A: “Why did you buy so much milk?”  

     B: “I thought we were out (but we weren’t).”*  

🔹 A:你昨天为什么没来开会？ *(Nǐ zuótiān wèishénme méi lái kāihuì?)*  

      B:我以为今天是星期三！ *(Wǒ yǐwéi jīntiān shì xīngqīsān!)*  

→ A: “Why didn’t you come to the meeting yesterday?”  

     B: “I thought today was Wednesday (but it wasn’t)!”*  

—

### Key Clarifications:

1. **觉得 is for opinions/feelings (correct or not doesn’t matter).**  

   – ✅ 我觉得他是好人。 *(I think he’s a good person.)*  

   – ❌ (Not used for mistakes.)  

2. **以为 is for past thoughts that were wrong.**  

   – ✅ 我以为他是好人（原来不是）。 *(I thought he was a good person (but he’s not).)*  

   – ❌ (Not for present opinions.)  

3. **以为 can sound like blaming yourself or others for a mistake.**  

   – 你怎么没告诉我？ *(Why didn’t you tell me?)*  

   – 我以为你知道！ *(I thought you knew!)* (Implies frustration.)  

—

### Quiz Time! (Test Your Understanding)

Which one fits?  

1. 我____这个答案是对的。（现在认为）  

   → **觉得** *(I think this answer is correct.)*  

2. 我____你会来，所以等了很久。（结果你没来）  

   → **以为** *(I thought you would come, so I waited a long time.)*  

3. 你____这个新老师怎么样？  

   → **觉得** *(What do you think of the new teacher?)*