Learn Hardcore Chinese: tā xiǎng liú zài zhè gè chéngshì gōngzuò.

Breakdown of tā xiǎng liú zài zhè gè chéngshì gōngzuò.

Used when counting nouns or when specifying a specific instance of a noun.

There are also classifiers for people, for bound items such as books and magazines, for cups/glasses, etc.

The classifier 个 is a general one that can be used for any of these.

Does 想 (xiǎng) here mean “to think” or “to want,” and how is it different from 要 (yào) or 想要 (xiǎngyào)?

In this sentence, 想 means “to want / would like to / intend to”, not “to think.”

Common contrasts:

想
- Softer, more tentative: “would like to,” “intend to.”
- Often sounds less forceful and more polite.
- Example: 我想去中国。= I’d like to go to China.
要
- Stronger intention or decision: “going to,” “going to (for sure).”
- Can also mean “must / need to” in some contexts.
- Example: 我要去中国。= I’m going to China (I’ve decided / it’s set).
想要
- Often used with nouns: “to want (something).”
  - 我想要一辆车。= I want a car.
- Before a verb, it can feel stronger than 想 (more desire-focused), but many people just use 想:
  - 她想要留在这个城市工作。= She really wants to stay in this city to work.
  - 她想留在这个城市工作。= She wants / plans to stay in this city to work.

In everyday speech, 想 + verb is extremely common and natural for expressing “want to do something.”

Why are there two verbs, 留 (liú) and 工作 (gōngzuò), with no “and” or “to” between them?