想【xiǎng】

想 before a verb means "would like to" or "want to". It is the softer way of wanting something – a wish rather than a decision.

Negation

In this sense the negative is bù xiǎng不想: a wish is a state, not an event, so 不 negates it.

想 or 要

想 is a wish; yāo要 is a decision or an order being placed. In a shop, 我想要一杯咖啡 is a polite request and 我要一杯咖啡 is the plain way to order. When turning something down, 我不想 is softer than 我不要.

想 takes degree words such as hěn很 and tè bié特别; 很 in front makes the wish stronger.

想 as a full verb

With a noun or a clause after it, 想 means "to miss" or "to think".

Doubled as 想想 or 想一想, it means "think it over".