Meanings of 要
By ear
Play it, then pick what 要 means.
About 要
Podcast: 要
Podcast: 要
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 要
想 (xiǎng) vs 要 (yào): Use 想 when expressing a desire or thought about wanting something without the implication of demand or necessity.
Be careful not to confuse 要 with 想 (xiǎng), which means 'to think' or 'to want' in a less urgent manner. 要 is often used in both polite requests and more forceful commands, so be mindful of your tone. Common collocations include 要求 (yāoqiú, 'demand') and 重要 (zhòngyào, 'important').
As an HSK Level 2 word, 要 connects well with other verbs expressing desire or necessity. Focus on using it in sentences about your wants or future plans, and practice distinguishing between its meanings as a main verb and as an auxiliary verb.
Learners often confuse 要 with 想 and use them interchangeably, leading to misinterpretations. For example, saying '我想要去' (Wǒ xiǎng yào qù) is correct, but they might incorrectly say '我要想去' (Wǒ yào xiǎng qù), which is not standard usage.
Pronunciation of 要
Drill the tone of 要 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason Explains 要 to You
Let me explain 要 for you
Make it yours
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 要 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.
How Well Do You Know 要?
Learning Lab
Knowing 要 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
- MeaningFree
- CharacterFree
- PinyinFree
- TonePro
- ListeningPro
- SpeakingPro
- WritingPro
Etymology of 要
Pictograph of two hands grabbing a woman's waist. The current meaning "want" is a phonetic loan. The original meaning "waist" is now written as 腰.
A woman 女 with hands on her waist 覀
Origin
What kind of character is 要?
Decomposition of 要
Parts
Which of these is part of 要?
How to say to want in Chinese
“to want” in Chinese is要
The character 要 (yāo) primarily means 'to want' or 'to demand'. It is commonly used in requests and can express necessity or intention, making it versatile in both casual and formal contexts. Additionally, it can indicate future actions when used as an auxiliary verb.
When to use 要
Be careful not to confuse 要 with 想 (xiǎng), which means 'to think' or 'to want' in a less urgent manner. 要 is often used in both polite requests and more forceful commands, so be mindful of your tone. Common collocations include 要求 (yāoqiú, 'demand') and 重要 (zhòngyào, 'important').
要 or something close to it
想 (xiǎng) vs 要 (yào): Use 想 when expressing a desire or thought about wanting something without the implication of demand or necessity.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 要 with 想 and use them interchangeably, leading to misinterpretations. For example, saying '我想要去' (Wǒ xiǎng yào qù) is correct, but they might incorrectly say '我要想去' (Wǒ yào xiǎng qù), which is not standard usage.
Write 要
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 要 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 要
要 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 15 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
他____去书店。
He's going to the bookstore.
Example Sentences for 要 (16)
Ask Jason
Have a question about 要?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.
Word Family of 要
Characters with 要
What does 腰 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 要
Yes, 要 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but the tone may need to be adjusted for politeness.
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 要?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.