Question

wistful adj.渴望的,想望的 People who appear wistful often show a longing for something or a look of serious reflection. One way to describe the adjective wistful is as the sad appearance of someone looking back and thinking "if only..." A thoughtful or pensive mood centered on something good in the past that is missed or something not so good in the present that could have been better "if only" something had gone differently — these things make for a wistful outlook. ★☆☆☆☆ 2009.0

Accepted Answer

['wistfəl] Only one letter separates the two words, but "wishful" is having hope for something, and wistful is having sadness or melancholy about something. "Wist" isn't even a word that's used anymore, but you can still be wistful. Instead of casting a wistful glance backward at all the species we've left in the dust I.Q.-wise, it implicitly asks what the real costs of our own intelligence might be. 1[ADJ-GRADED 能被表示程度的副词或介词词组修饰的形容词](因求而不得)失意的，伤感的，惆怅的 Someone who is wistful is rather sad because they want something and know that they cannot have it. I can't help feeling slightly wistful about the perks I'm giving up...我不禁对自己将要放弃的津贴感到有点儿不舍。He has a wistful look.他神情沮丧。wistfully'I wish I had a little brother,' said Daphne wistfully.“我希望有个小弟弟。”达夫妮伤感地说。wistfulnessI sensed her wistfulness when she talked about vacations her relatives took.她谈起她的亲戚度假时，我觉得她心里酸酸的。

英语单词	wistful
英美音标	['wistfəl]
中文释义	adj.渴望的,想望的
vocab简明	Only one letter separates the two words, but "wishful" is having hope for something, and wistful is having sadness or melancholy about something. "Wist" isn't even a word that's used anymore, but you can still be wistful.
vocab扩展	People who appear wistful often show a longing for something or a look of serious reflection. One way to describe the adjective wistful is as the sad appearance of someone looking back and thinking "if only..." A thoughtful or pensive mood centered on something good in the past that is missed or something not so good in the present that could have been better "if only" something had gone differently — these things make for a wistful outlook.
真题原句	Instead of casting a wistful glance backward at all the species we've left in the dust I.Q.-wise, it implicitly asks what the real costs of our own intelligence might be.
柯林斯星级	★☆☆☆☆
柯林斯解释	1 [ADJ-GRADED 能被表示程度的副词或介词词组修饰的形容词](因求而不得)失意的，伤感的，惆怅的 Someone who is wistful is rather sad because they want something and know that they cannot have it. I can't help feeling slightly wistful about the perks I'm giving up... 我不禁对自己将要放弃的津贴感到有点儿不舍。 He has a wistful look. 他神情沮丧。 wistfully 'I wish I had a little brother,' said Daphne wistfully. “我希望有个小弟弟。”达夫妮伤感地说。 wistfulness I sensed her wistfulness when she talked about vacations her relatives took. 她谈起她的亲戚度假时，我觉得她心里酸酸的。
来源	2009.0

Wistful I Sad Good Wistfəl Adj.渴望的,想望的 Letter Separates