要

要
yāo = y + ao1
to demand / to request / to coerce
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要
yào = y + ao4
important / vital / to want / to ask for / will / going to (as future auxiliary) / may / must / (used in a comparison) must be / probably / if
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要
yāo = y + ao1
(bound form) to demand; to coerce
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要
yào = y + ao4
to want; to need; to ask for / will; shall; about to / need to; should / if (same as 要是[yao4 shi5]) / (bound form) important
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How to pronounce 要

MandarinBanana teaches pronunciation with the Marilyn Method: every Pinyin syllable is one initial plus one final, the initial becomes a person, an animal or a deity, and the final becomes a place in your memory palace — with the tone deciding which part of that place the scene happens in. Remember the little story below for each half and the whole syllable comes back with them.

= y initial

Y is for Maud Younger.

By Matthias • updated 3 months ago
+ ao1 final

In front of the aorta.

By Matthias • updated 6 months ago
= y initial

Y is for Maud Younger.

By Matthias • updated 3 months ago
+ ao4 final

In the aorta’s bathroom.

By Matthias • updated 6 months ago

要 character breakdown

Chinese characters are built out of smaller characters. Each component carries a mnemonic symbol - one concrete object that stands in for it - and a mnemonic story hands those objects to the person and the place that stand for the pronunciation. Learn a component once and every character that reuses it gets easier.

Component Translations
female / woman / daughter
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女
rǔ = ru + Ø3
archaic variant of 汝[ru3]
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覀
Character component without intrinsic meaning
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Characters with 要 as component

腰
yāo = y + ao1
waist / lower back / pocket / middle / loins
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喓
yāo = y + ao1
grasshopper chirp / mosquito buzz
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嘦
jiào = ji + ao4
if only / so long as / (contraction of 只 and 要)
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Words with 要

show 179 more
to need / to want / to demand / to require / requirement / need
don't! / must not
important / significant / major

Sentences with 要

大
dà
王
wáng
要
yào
件
jiàn
凑
còu
手
shǒu
合
hé
用
yòng
的
de
兵
bīng
器
qì
吗
ma
 
 
倒
dào
也
yě
不
bù
难
nán

Want to remember 要 for good?

Make it your learning target and MandarinBanana works out the shortest route to it: the two sounds its syllable is built from, then the components of the character itself, one short step at a time. No account needed to start.

要
yāo / yào

4 translations

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