HSK 4 · VERSION 2.0#48
Expressing “Mistakenly Think That” with “yǐwéi”
以为
How it works
以为 (yǐwéi) means “to think” or “to assume,” but in many cases it suggests that the assumption is later shown to be wrong.
The pattern
Subject + 以为 (yǐwéi) + Clause
Example sentences
我以为你已经走了。
I thought you had already left.
他以为这件事很容易，其实不简单。
He thought this matter was easy, but actually it is not simple.
别人都以为他们是兄弟。
Everyone thought they were brothers.
Key point
Compared with 觉得 (juéde), 以为 (yǐwéi) more often suggests a mistaken belief.