Usage of the character 望

choronym (a family's region of origin, used as an indicator of superior social status in a choronym-surname combination) (For example, the Tang writer Han Yu 韓愈／韩愈 ( Hán Yù) is also known as 韓昌黎／韩昌黎 ( Hán Chānglí), where 韓／韩 ( Hán) is his surname and 昌黎 ( Chānglí) is his clan's ancestral prefecture 郡 (jùn).)

wàngyuè

望月

[望月]

full moon

yáowàng

遥望

[遙望]

to look into the distance

Wànghuā

望花

[望花]

Wanghua district of Fushun city 撫順市／抚顺市, Liaoning

huíwàng

回望

[回望]

to return sb's gaze; to meet sb's eyes
to look back (to one's rear)
(fig.) to look back at (the past); to reflect on

Wàngjiāng

望江

[望江]

Wangjiang, a county in Anqing 安慶／安庆 ( Anqīng), Anhui

shīwàng

失望

[失望]

disappointed
to lose hope
to despair

xiāngwàng

相望

[相望]

to look at one another
to face each other

shēwàng

奢望

[奢望]

an extravagant hope
to have excessive expectations

bàiwàng

拜望

[拜望]

to call to pay one's respect
to call on

Ruòwàng

若望

[若望]

John
Saint John
less common variant of 約翰／约翰 ( Yuēhàn) preferred by the Catholic Church

tànwàng

探望

[探望]

to visit
to call on sb
to look around

qìwàng

跂望

[跂望]

to stand on tiptoe looking forward to sb or sth

rèwàng

热望

[熱望]

to aspire

míwàng

弥望

[彌望]

a full view

zhānwàng

瞻望

[瞻望]

to look far ahead
to look forward (to)

wàngfēng

望风

[望風]

to be on the lookout
to keep watch

zhāngwàng

张望

[張望]

to look around
to peep (through a crack)
to peer at
to throw a look at

jìwàng

寄望

[寄望]

to place hopes on

guānwàng

观望

[觀望]

to wait and see
to watch from the sidelines
to look around
to survey

yǎngwàng

仰望

[仰望]

to look up at
to look up to sb hopefully

xiǎngwàng

想望

[想望]

to desire
to wish
(literary) to admire

níngwàng

凝望

[凝望]

to gaze at
to stare fixedly at

bāwàng

巴望

[巴望]

to look forward to

zhòngwàng

重望

[重望]

renowned
prestigious
great hopes
expectations

liàowàngtái

瞭望台

[瞭望臺]

observation tower
lookout tower

Mǎdéwàng

马德望

[馬德望]

Battambang

Wàngfū Shí

望夫石

[望夫石]

Amah Rock in Sha Tin 沙田 ( Shātián), Hong Kong

Tàigōng Wàng

太公望

[太公望]

see Jiang Ziya 姜子牙 ( Jiāng Zǐyá)

shuòwàngcháo

朔望潮

[朔望潮]

spring tide (biggest tide, at new moon or full moon)

yǒuxīwàng

有希望

[有希望]

hopeful
promising
prospective

Wàngjiāng Xiàn

望江县

[望江縣]

Wangjiang, a county in Anqing 安慶／安庆 ( Anqīng), Anhui

Wàngchéngxiàn

望城县

[望城縣]

Wangcheng county in Changsha 長沙／长沙 ( Chángshā), Hunan

Wàngdūxiàn

望都县

[望都縣]

Wangdu county in Baoding 保定 ( Bǎodìng), Hebei

wàngyuǎnjìng

望远镜

[望遠鏡]

binoculars
telescope
CL:付 (fù),副 (fù),部 (bù)

qiánwàngjìng

潜望镜

[潛望鏡]

periscope

Wàngmóxiàn

望谟县

[望謨縣]

Wangmo county in Qianxinan Buyei and Miao autonomous prefecture 黔西南州 ( Qiánxīnánzhōu), Guizhou

shǒuwàngtái

守望台

[守望台]

watchtower

liàowàngtǎ

瞭望塔

[瞭望塔]

watchtower
observation tower

Wàngkuíxiàn

望奎县

[望奎縣]

Wangkui county in Suihua 綏化／绥化, Heilongjiang

Wànghuāqū

望花区

[望花區]

Wanghua district of Fushun city 撫順市／抚顺市, Liaoning

Wàng'ānxiāng

望安乡

[望安鄉]

Wangan township in Penghu county 澎湖縣／澎湖县 ( Pénghúxiàn) (Pescadores Islands), Taiwan

qīwàngzhí

期望值

[期望值]

expectations
(math) expected value

Hǎowàng Jiǎo

好望角

[好望角]

Cape of Good Hope

Bówàng Qū

博望区

[博望區]

Bowang District, a district of Ma'anshan City 馬鞍山市／马鞍山市 ( Mǎǎnshǎn Shì), Anhui

liàowàngshào

瞭望哨

[瞭望哨]

lookout post

wàng'érxīngtàn

望而兴叹

[望而興嘆]

to look and sigh
to feel helpless
not knowing what to do

yīyǎnwàngqù

一眼望去

[一眼望去]

as far as the eye can see

bùfúzhòngwàng

不孚众望

[不孚眾望]

not living up to expectations (idiom)
failing to inspire confidence among people
unpopular

dégāowàngzhòng

德高望重

[德高望重]

(idiom) a person of virtue and prestige; a person of good moral standing and reputation

wàngnüchéngfèng

望女成凤

[望女成鳳]

lit. to hope one's daughter becomes a phoenix (idiom)
fig. to hope one's daughter is a success in life

xīwàngluòkōng

希望落空

[希望落空]

hopes are dashed

yǐlánwàngyuè

倚栏望月

[倚欄望月]

to lean against the railings and look at the moon (idiom)

wàngwénshēngyì

望文生义

[望文生義]

lit. view a text and interpret (idiom); to interpret word by word without understanding the meaning
a far-fetched interpretation

bùfùzhòngwàng

不负众望

[不負眾望]

to live up to expectations (idiom)

jìyǔhòuwàng

寄予厚望

[寄予厚望]

to place high hopes

dōngzhāngxīwàng

东张西望

[東張西望]

to look in all directions (idiom)
to glance around

dēnggāowàngyuǎn

登高望远

[登高望遠]

to stand tall and see far (idiom); taking the long and broad view
acute foresight

míngménwàngzú

名门望族

[名門望族]

offspring a famous family (idiom); good breeding
blue blood

wàngyángxīngtàn

望洋兴叹

[望洋興嘆]

lit. to gaze at the ocean and lament one's inadequacy (idiom)
fig. to feel powerless and incompetent (to perform a task)

wàngfēngbǔyǐng

望风捕影

[望風捕影]

see 捕風捉影／捕风捉影 (bǔfēngzhuōyǐng)

wàng'érshēngwèi

望而生畏

[望而生畏]

intimidate at the first glance (idiom); awe-inspiring
terrifying
overwhelming

bāgāowàngshàng

巴高望上

[巴高望上]

to wish for higher status (idiom); to curry favor in the hope of promotion

gōnggāowàngzhòng

功高望重

[功高望重]

high merit and worthy prospects (idiom)

yīwàngwújì

一望无际

[一望無際]

as far as the eye can see (idiom)

shǒuwàngxiāngzhù

守望相助

[守望相助]

to keep watch and defend one another (idiom, from Mencius); to join forces to defend against external aggressors
mutual help and protection

shēnfúzhòngwàng

深孚众望

[深孚眾望]

to enjoy the confidence of the people
to be very popular

jímùyuǎnwàng

极目远望

[極目遠望]

as far as the eye can see

fàngyǎnwàngqù

放眼望去

[放眼望去]

as far as the eye can see

dàhànwàngní

大旱望霓

[大旱望霓]

see 大旱望雲霓／大旱望云霓 (dàhànwàngyúnní)

zhòngwàngsuǒguī

众望所归

[眾望所歸]

(idiom) to enjoy popular support
to receive general approval

yīwàngwúyín

一望无垠

[一望無垠]

to stretch as far as the eye can see (idiom)

Ruòwàng Fúyīn

若望福音

[若望福音]

Gospel according to St John

dàyǒu-xīwàng

大有希望

[大有希望]

to stand a good chance; to have great hopes; to be promising

wàngméizhǐkě

望梅止渴

[望梅止渴]

lit. to quench one's thirst by thinking of plums (idiom)
fig. to console oneself with illusions

wàngchénmòjí

望尘莫及

[望塵莫及]

lit. to see only the other rider's dust and have no hope of catching up (idiom)
to be far inferior

kěwàngyǒuchéng

可望有成

[可望有成]

can be expected to be a success

dàipénwàngtiān

戴盆望天

[戴盆望天]

lit. viewing the sky with a basin on one's head; it is hard to get a clear view of the sky while carrying a platter on one's head
fig. it is hard to get on in one's career while encumbered by family obligations
one can't perform a major task while bothered by other duties

Wàngyuǎnjìngzuò

望远镜座

[望遠鏡座]

Telescopium (constellation)

wàng'érquèbù

望而却步

[望而卻步]

to shrink back; to flinch

dé Lǒngwàng Shǔ

得陇望蜀

[得隴望蜀]

lit. covet Sichuan once Gansu has been seized
fig. endless greed
insatiable desire

yīxiànxīwàng

一线希望

[一線希望]

a gleam of hope

dàxǐguòwàng

大喜过望

[大喜過望]

overjoyed at unexpected good news (idiom)

yīwàng'érzhī

一望而知

[一望而知]

to be evident at a glance (idiom)

shènglìzàiwàng

胜利在望

[勝利在望]

victory is in sight

wàngyǎnyùchuān

望眼欲穿

[望眼欲穿]

to anxiously await

wàngzǐchénglóng

望子成龙

[望子成龍]

lit. to hope one's son becomes a dragon (idiom); fig. to long for one' s child to succeed in life
to have great hopes for one's offspring
to give one's child the best education as a career investment

dàshīsuǒwàng

大失所望

[大失所望]