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Word

要 (yào) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 1

also read as:
yāo want, need; essential, important; demand, require

要 (yào) is a Chinese word: to want. This page shows its pinyin, translation, example sentences, character breakdown, decomposition, and HSK level.

Meaning of 要

动 dòng verb

to want

我要喝水。

wǒ yào hē shuǐ

I want to drink water.

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Word breakdown

要 yào — to want

Words with this character (29)
  • 1 不要 bú yào — don't HSK 1
    • 不 negation, expressing prohibition
    • 要 imperative mood marker, forming a command
    Example

    不要担心，一切都会好的。

    bú yào dān xīn yí qiè dōu huì hǎo de

    Don't worry, everything will be fine.

  • 2 快要 kuài yào — about to HSK 2
    • 快 soon, quickly (indicating temporal proximity)
    • 要 will, going to (indicating futurity)
    Example

    天快要黑了。

    tiān kuài yào hēi le

    It's about to get dark.

  • 3 主要 zhǔ yào — main HSK 3
    • 主 main, principal, chief
    • 要 important, essential
    Example

    这是我主要的工作。

    zhè shì wǒ zhǔ yào de gōng zuò

    This is my main job.

  • 4 只要 zhǐ yào — as long as HSK 3
    • 只 only, emphasizing the sufficiency of a single condition
    • 要 need/require, expressing what is necessary
    Example

    只要努力学习，就能考上大学。

    zhǐ yào nú lì xué xí jiù néng kǎo shàng dà xué

    As long as you study hard, you can get into university.

  • 5 重要 zhòng yào — important HSK 3
    • 重 weighty, significant
    • 要 essential, necessary
    Example

    这是一个重要的决定。

    zhè shì yí gè zhòng yào de jué dìng

    This is an important decision.

Show more (+24)
  • 6 需要 xū yào — need HSK 3
    • 需 need, require
    • 要 want, need, essential
    Example

    我需要帮助。

    wǒ xū yào bāng zhù

    I need help.

  • 7 将要 jiāng yào — be going to HSK 4
    • 将 about to, approaching future
    • 要 will, intention
    Example

    会议将要开始了。

    huì yì jiāng yào kāi shǐ le

    The meeting is about to start.

  • 8 要是 yào shì — if HSK 4
    • 要 contributes the conditional/hypothetical sense (originally 'to want/need')
    • 是 combines with 要 to form the complete conditional conjunction
    Example

    要是明天下雨，我就不去了。

    yào shì míng tiān xià yǔ wǒ jiù bù qù le

    If it rains tomorrow, I won't go.

  • 9 不要紧 bú yào jǐn — it doesn't matter HSK 5
    • 不 not; provides negation
    • 要 important/need; forms 'important' with 紧
    • 紧 tight/urgent/critical; combines with 要 to mean 'important'
    Example

    你别担心，不要紧的。

    nǐ bié dān xīn bú yào jǐn de

    Don't worry, it doesn't matter.

  • 10 必要 bì yào — necessary HSK 5
    • 必 must, certainly (conveys inevitability)
    • 要 need, important (conveys requirement)
    Example

    如果必要，我们可以改变计划。

    rú guǒ bì yào wǒ men kě yǐ gǎi biàn jì huà

    If necessary, we can change the plan.

  • 11 要不是 yào bù shì — if it were not for, but for HSK 5
    • 要 forms part of the conditional phrase (originally 'want/will')
    • 不 negation marker 'not'
    • 是 completes the conditional construction (originally 'to be')
    Example

    要不是你帮忙，我完不成这个项目。

    yào bù shì nǐ bāng máng wǒ wán bù chéng zhè ge xiàng mù

    If it were not for your help, I couldn't complete this project.

  • 12 要不然 yào bù rán — otherwise HSK 5
    • 要 introduces a conditional sense, 'if one needs/wants'
    • 不 negation, 'not'
    • 然 so, thus; completes 'if not so' meaning
    Example

    快点走吧，要不然会迟到的。

    kuài diǎn zǒu ba yào bù rán huì chí dào de

    Hurry up, otherwise we'll be late.

  • 13 至关重要 zhì guān zhòng yào — crucial HSK 6
    • 至 reaching the extreme; utmost
    • 关 critical concern; crucial point
    • 重 weighty; important
    • 要 essential; necessary
    Example

    这个问题至关重要，我们必须认真对待。

    zhè ge wèn tí zhì guān zhòng yào wǒ men bì xū rèn zhēn duì dài

    This issue is crucial, we must treat it seriously.

  • 14 要么 yào me — either...or HSK 6
    • 要 forms the first part of the conjunction expressing alternatives
    • 么 completes the conjunction structure to present alternatives
    Example

    你要么留下，要么离开。

    nǐ yào me liú xia yào me lí kāi

    You either stay or leave.

  • 15 要点 yào diǎn — key point HSK 6
    • 要 important, essential
    • 点 point, aspect
    Example

    老师总结了课文的要点。

    lǎo shī zǒng jié le kè wén de yào diǎn

    The teacher summarized the key points of the text.

  • 16 要素 yào sù — element HSK 6
    • 要 essential, important, key
    • 素 element, component, factor
    Example

    创新是企业发展的重要要素。

    chuàng xīn shì qǐ yè fā zhǎn de zhòng yào yào sù

    Innovation is an important element of enterprise development.

  • 17 首要 shǒu yào — primary HSK 6
    • 首 first, foremost
    • 要 important, essential
    Example

    安全是首要任务。

    ān quán shì shǒu yào rèn wu

    Safety is the primary task.

  • 18 摘要 zhāi yào — abstract; summary HSK 7
    • 摘 to extract; to pick out
    • 要 essential points; key information
    Example

    每篇论文都需要写一个摘要。

    měi piān lùn wén dōu xū yào xiě yí gè zhāi yào

    Every paper needs to have an abstract written.

  • 19 无关紧要 wú guān jǐn yào — unimportant, insignificant HSK 7
    • 无 without, not having
    • 关 relation, connection
    • 紧 urgent, important
    • 要 important, essential
    Example

    这些细节无关紧要，我们应该关注重点。

    zhè xiē xì jié wú guān jǐn yào wǒ men yīng gāi guān zhù zhòng diǎn

    These details are unimportant, we should focus on the main points.

  • 20 次要 cì yào — secondary HSK 7
    • 次 secondary, subordinate in rank or importance
    • 要 important, essential (modifying the level of importance)
    Example

    这是次要问题，我们先解决主要问题。

    zhè shì cì yào wèn tí wǒ men xiān jiě jué zhǔ yào wèn tí

    This is a secondary issue, let's solve the main problem first.

  • 21 简要 jiǎn yào — concise, brief HSK 7
    • 简 brief, simple, concise
    • 要 essential, main points
    Example

    请简要说明你的想法。

    qǐng jiǎn yào shuō míng nǐ de xiǎng fǎ

    Please briefly explain your thoughts.

  • 22 纪要 jì yào — minutes; summary HSK 7
    • 纪 record, chronicle
    • 要 essential points, key aspects
    Example

    秘书正在整理会议纪要。

    mì shū zhèng zài zhěng lǐ huì yì jì yào

    The secretary is organizing the meeting minutes.

  • 23 纲要 gāng yào — outline HSK 7
    • 纲 main framework, guiding structure
    • 要 essential points, key elements
    Example

    政府发布了五年发展纲要

    zhèng fǔ fā bù le wǔ nián fā zhǎn gāng yào

    The government published a five-year development outline

  • 24 要命 yào mìng — to be awful; to be unbearable; to be terrible HSK 7
    • 要 to demand; to take (emphasizing severity)
    • 命 life (suggesting life-threatening severity)
    Example

    牙疼得要命。

    yá téng de yào mìng

    The toothache is unbearable.

  • 25 要好 yào hǎo — to be on good terms, close, friendly HSK 7
    • 要 important, significant (indicating closeness)
    • 好 good (indicating positive relationship quality)
    Example

    我和他从小就很要好。

    wǒ hé tā cóng xiǎo jiù hěn yào hǎo

    He and I have been close friends since childhood.

  • 26 要害 yào hài — vital point HSK 7
    • 要 vital, essential, critical
    • 害 vulnerable point (where harm is most effective)
    Example

    他一拳击中了对手的要害。

    tā yì quán jī zhòng le duì shǒu de yào hài

    He struck his opponent's vital point with one punch.

  • 27 要强 yào qiáng — strong-willed HSK 7
    • 要 to want/demand (of oneself)
    • 强 strong/not wanting to appear weak
    Example

    她很要强，从不服输。

    tā hěn yào qiáng cóng bù fú shū

    She is very strong-willed and never admits defeat.

  • 28 要紧 yào jǐn — important, urgent HSK 7
    • 要 essential, necessary
    • 紧 urgent, pressing
    Example

    你的健康最要紧。

    nǐ de jiàn kāng zuì yào jǐn

    Your health is most important.

  • 29 要领 yào lǐng — essentials HSK 7
    • 要 important, essential
    • 领 main point, gist
    Example

    他很快就掌握了游泳的要领。

    tā hěn kuài jiù zhǎng wò le yóu yǒng de yào lǐng

    He quickly grasped the essentials of swimming.

Structure & writing
1 要 yào — important; significant
Xpinyin
要 is a component in 1 characters
HSK 5
腰 yāo waist; the middle part of the body between the hips and ribs

consists of

1.1 覀 xī — cover/top radical, seen above characters
覀 is a component in 5 characters
HSK 1
要 yào important; significant
HSK 2
票 piào a ticket, note, or slip used as a voucher or credential
HSK 6
覆 fù to cover, to conceal
HSK 7
潭 tán deep pool; deep pit; by extension: deep 贾 jiǎ a surname
1.2 女 nǚ — female (opposite of 男)
女 is a component in 54 characters
HSK 1
奶 nǎi breast; mammary gland 她 tā she; her (third-person feminine pronoun) 好 hǎo good; satisfactory (opposite of 坏) 妈 mā mom; mother (reduplicated form) 妹 mèi younger sister (by blood or same generation)
Show more HSK 1 characters (+2)
姐 jiě older sister 要 yào important; significant
HSK 2
妻 qī wife (opposite of 夫) 始 shǐ beginning; start; initial (opposite of '末'/'终') 姓 xìng surname; family name
HSK 3
如 rú to suit; to follow; in accordance with 姨 yí maternal aunt (mother's sister); respectful term for women of one's mother's generation 婚 hūn to marry; for a man and woman to become husband and wife 安 ān safe, secure; opposite of '危' 接 jiē to approach; to come into contact with
HSK 4
姑 gū father's sister; aunt 娘 niáng (colloq.) mother
HSK 5
妇 fù married woman; general term for woman 姥 lǎo maternal grandfather (see 姥爷) 姿 zī appearance; looks 威 wēi authority or power that commands awe and respect 娱 yú joyful; happy
Show more HSK 5 characters (+2)
婆 pó old woman (often reduplicated) 媒 méi matchmaker; person who arranges marriages
HSK 6
妆 zhuāng to put on makeup; to adorn oneself with cosmetics 妙 miào beautiful; fine 妨 fáng to hinder, obstruct (连~碍) 委 wěi winding, tortuous; euphemistic 姻 yīn marriage
Show more HSK 6 characters (+7)
娃 wá child; infant 娶 qǔ to take a wife; to marry (of a man, opposite of 嫁) 婴 yīng infant, newborn baby 媳 xí daughter-in-law, son's wife 嫁 jià (of a woman) to marry, get married (opposite of 娶) 嫌 xián suspicion; grounds for suspicion 宴 yàn to host a banquet; to feast together
HSK 7
奴 nú slave (person oppressed, exploited, and controlled in old society) 奸 jiān hypocritical and cunning 妄 wàng absurd, irrational, wild 妒 dù to envy; to be jealous of someone superior 妖 yāo demon; monster; supernatural creature in myths and legends
Show more HSK 7 characters (+13)
妥 tuǒ appropriate; suitable 姆 mǔ nanny; person hired to care for children, the elderly, or manage household affairs, usually female (see "保姆") 姜 jiāng ginger plant (perennial herb with lance-shaped leaves and yellow-green flowers, rarely blooming) 娇 jiāo delicate, beautiful, and lovely (of women, children, flowers, etc.) 婉 wǎn indirect and gentle in expression 婪 lán greedy; insatiably covetous of wealth 婿 xù husband 媚 mèi beautiful; lovely 嫂 sǎo elder brother's wife; sister-in-law 嫉 jí to envy; to be jealous of someone better than oneself 嫩 nèn tender, delicate (of young growth); opposite of "老" 嬉 xī (lit.) to play; to frolic 耍 shuǎ to play; to have fun

Stroke order