要

See also: 贾

要 U+8981, 要 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-8981 ← 覀 [U+8980] CJK Unified Ideographs 覂 → [U+8982]

Translingual

Stroke order

Stroke order

Han character

要 (Kangxi radical 146, 襾+3, 9 strokes, cangjie input 一田女 (MWV), four-corner 1040₄, composition ⿱覀女)

Derived characters

• 偠 喓 㙘 婹 崾 𢞅 𢰳 㴗 楆 𰃥 腰 䁏 䙅 䌁 𨪁 騕 㫏 覅 䳩 葽 嫑 嘦 闄 𧟰

Descendants

• 𛀓
• 𡚩

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 1128, character 16
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 34768
• Dae Jaweon: page 1597, character 4
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2805, character 8
• Unihan data for U+8981

Chinese

trad.		要
simp. #		要
2nd round simp.		⿱⺄女
alternative forms		𡢗

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 要
Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the same phonetic series (要) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
腰	*qew
要	*qew, *qews
葽	*qew, *qews, *qeːw, *qeːwʔ
喓	*qew
闄	*qewʔ
偠	*qeːwʔ
騕	*qeːwʔ
婹	*qeːwʔ

Pictogram (象形) : a man 大 then drawn as a woman (女) with two hands pointing to his/her midsection. On top of the character there was huge eye 目, then stylized as a horn 角. The hands gradually shifted upwards; hence, a nearly-original version of the character is 𡢗. All the upper part was eventually stylized as 覀. Unrelated to 栗 but partly related to 票.

Original meaning was “waist” (now 腰 (OC *qew)).

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): yāo (yao¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧㄠ

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): ё (i͡o, III)

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jiu¹
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): yêu
• Eastern Min (BUC): iĕu
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): iau

  (Teochew, Peng'im): iou¹ / iao¹

• Wu (Wugniu)
  • (Northern): ¹iau
  • (Jinhua): ¹iau

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yāo
    • Zhuyin: ㄧㄠ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yao
    • Wade–Giles: yao¹
    • Yale: yāu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: iau
    • Palladius: яо (jao)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɑʊ̯⁵⁵/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: ё (i͡o, III)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iɔː⁴⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: jiu¹
    • Yale: yīu
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jiu¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: yiu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jiːu̯⁵⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yêu
    • Hakka Romanization System: ieu^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yeu¹
    • Sinological IPA: /i̯eu̯²⁴/
  • (Southern Sixian, incl. Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yêu
    • Hakka Romanization System: (r)ieu^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yeu¹
    • Sinological IPA: /(j)i̯eu̯²⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: iĕu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ieu⁵⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: iau
    • Tâi-lô: iau
    • Phofsit Daibuun: iaw
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /iau³³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /iau⁴⁴/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: iou¹ / iao¹
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: iou / iau
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iou³³/, /iau³³/

Note:

• iou1 - Chaozhou;
• iao1 - Shantou, Jieyang, Chaoyang.

• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai, Suzhou)
    • Wugniu: ¹iau
    • MiniDict: iau^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹iau
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /iɔ⁵³/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /iæ⁴⁴/
  • (Jinhua)
    • Wugniu: ¹iau
    • Sinological IPA (Jinhua): /iɑu³³⁴/

---

• Middle Chinese: 'jiew

Rime
Character	要
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	影 (34)
Final (韻)	宵 (91)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	於霄切
Baxter	'jiew
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ʔiᴇu/
Pan Wuyun	/ʔiɛu/
Shao Rongfen	/ʔjæu/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʔiaw/
Li Rong	/ʔiɛu/
Wang Li	/ĭɛu/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ʔi̯ɛu/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yāo
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jiu1

• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*qew/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	要
Reading #	1/2
No.	14748
Phonetic component	要
Rime group	宵
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	要
Old Chinese	/*qew/

Definitions

要

1. to demand; to ask; to request

   要求  ―  yāoqiú  ―  to request

2. to force; to coerce

   要脅／要胁  ―  yāoxié  ―  to threaten, to blackmail

3. to promise

   要約／要约  ―  yāoyuē  ―  to restrict, to agree to a contract/offer/bid

4. to block; to intercept

   要擊／要击  ―  yāojī  ―  to intercept, to ambush

5. (obsolete) Alternative form of 邀 (“to invite”)

   • 便要還家，設酒殺雞作食。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     便要还家，设酒杀鸡作食。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 421, Tao Yuanming, 桃花源記

     Biàn yāo huánjiā, shè jiǔ shā jī zuò shí. [Pinyin]

     Then they invited him home, served wine, butchered chickens and made dishes.

6. (obsolete) Alternative form of 腰 (“waist”)
7. (obsolete) contract of alliance

   久要  ―  jiǔyāo  ―  former contract

8. a surname

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (要):

• → Japanese: 要(よう) (yō)
• → Korean: 요(要) (yo)
• → Vietnamese: yêu (要)

Compounds

• 久要 (jiǔyāo)
• 要功
• 要劫
• 要勒
• 要妙
• 要寵召禍／要宠召祸
• 要市
• 要挾／要挟 (yāoxié)
• 要擊／要击 (yāojī)
• 要時／要时
• 要服
• 要束
• 要求 (yāoqiú)
• 要盟
• 要眇
• 要約人／要约人
• 要結／要结
• 要絰／要绖
• 要脅／要胁 (yāoxié)
• 要荒
• 要褭／要袅
• 要誓
• 要買／要买 (yāomǎi)
• 訂久要／订久要 (dìngjiǔyāo)

 

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): yào (yao⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧㄠˋ

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): ё (i͡o, III)

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jiu³
• Gan (Wiktionary): ieu¹
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): yeu
• Jin (Wiktionary): iau¹
• Northern Min (KCR): ia̿u
• Eastern Min (BUC): iéu
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): iàu

  (Teochew, Peng'im): iou³ / iao³

• Wu (Wugniu)
  • (Northern): ⁵iau
  • (Jinhua): ⁵iau
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): iau¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yào
    • Zhuyin: ㄧㄠˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yào
    • Wade–Giles: yao⁴
    • Yale: yàu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yaw
    • Palladius: яо (jao)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɑʊ̯⁵¹/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: ё (i͡o, III)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iɔː⁴⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: jiu³
    • Yale: yiu
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jiu³
    • Guangdong Romanization: yiu³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jiːu̯³³/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: ieu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iɛu⁴²/
• Hakka
  • (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yeu
    • Hakka Romanization System: ieu
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yeu⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /i̯eu̯⁵⁵/
  • (Southern Sixian, incl. Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yeu
    • Hakka Romanization System: (r)ieu
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yeu⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /(j)i̯eu̯⁵⁵/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: iau¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /iau¹¹/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: ia̿u
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iau³³/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: iéu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iɛu²¹³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: iàu
    • Tâi-lô: iàu
    • Phofsit Daibuun: iaux
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung): /iau²¹/
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /iau⁴¹/
    • IPA (Taipei): /iau¹¹/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: iou³ / iao³
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: iòu / iàu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /iou²¹³/, /iau²¹³/

Note:

• iou3 - Chaozhou;
• iao3 - Shantou, Jieyang, Chaoyang.

• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai, Suzhou)
    • Wugniu: ⁵iau
    • MiniDict: iau^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ²iau
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /iɔ³⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /iæ⁵²³/
  • (Jinhua)
    • Wugniu: ⁵iau
    • Sinological IPA (Jinhua): /iɑu⁵⁵/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: iau¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /i̯ɒu̯³³/

---

• Middle Chinese: 'jiewH

Rime
Character	要
Reading #	2/2
Initial (聲)	影 (34)
Final (韻)	宵 (91)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	於笑切
Baxter	'jiewH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ʔiᴇuH/
Pan Wuyun	/ʔiɛuH/
Shao Rongfen	/ʔjæuH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʔiawH/
Li Rong	/ʔiɛuH/
Wang Li	/ĭɛuH/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ʔi̯ɛuH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yào
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jiu3

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[q]ew(k)-s/

  (Zhengzhang): /*qews/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	要
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	yào
Middle Chinese	‹ ʔjiewH ›
Old Chinese	/*[q]ew(k)-s/
English	important
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	要
Reading #	2/2
No.	14752
Phonetic component	要
Rime group	宵
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	要
Old Chinese	/*qews/

Definitions

要

1. to want; to wish

   我要睡覺。／我要睡觉。  ―  Wǒ yào shuìjiào.  ―  I want to sleep.

   你要不要喝茶？  ―  Nǐ yào bù yào hē chá?  ―  Do you want some tea?

2. to wish to have or keep

   你要番茄醬嗎？／你要番茄酱吗？  ―  Nǐ yào fānqiéjiàng ma?  ―  Do you want ketchup?

   這本書你還要嗎？ [MSC, trad.]
   这本书你还要吗？ [MSC, simp.]

   Zhè běn shū nǐ hái yào ma? [Pinyin]

   Do you still want this book?

   他想要一部新手機。 [MSC, trad.]
   他想要一部新手机。 [MSC, simp.]

   Tā xiǎng yào yī bù xīn shǒujī. [Pinyin]

   He wants to have a new cell phone.

3. to ask for

   我要了一瓶啤酒。 [MSC, trad. and simp.]

   Wǒ yào le yī píng píjiǔ. [Pinyin]

   I asked for a bottle of beer.

   弟弟又跟媽媽要錢了。 [MSC, trad.]
   弟弟又跟妈妈要钱了。 [MSC, simp.]

   Dìdì yòu gēn māmā yào qián le. [Pinyin]

   My brother asked mom for money again.

4. to request

   他要我給他買本書。 [MSC, trad.]
   他要我给他买本书。 [MSC, simp.]

   Tā yào wǒ gěi tā mǎi běn shū. [Pinyin]

   He requested that I buy a book for him.

   老闆要我馬上回覆。 [MSC, trad.]
   老板要我马上回覆。 [MSC, simp.]

   Lǎobǎn yào wǒ mǎshàng huífù. [Pinyin]

   My boss demanded that I reply immediately.

5. to need

   從這裡到上海要兩個小時。 [MSC, trad.]
   从这里到上海要两个小时。 [MSC, simp.]

   Cóng zhèlǐ dào Shànghǎi yào liǎng ge xiǎoshí. [Pinyin]

   It takes two hours to reach Shanghai from here.

   養大一個孩子要多少錢？ [MSC, trad.]
   养大一个孩子要多少钱？ [MSC, simp.]

   Yǎng dà yī ge háizǐ yào duōshào qián? [Pinyin]

   How much does it take to raise a child?

6. will; going to (future auxiliary)

   我要走了。  ―  Wǒ yào zǒu le.  ―  I am going to go.

   我怕我們要遲到了。 [MSC, trad.]
   我怕我们要迟到了。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒ pà wǒmen yào chídào le. [Pinyin]

   I fear that we will be late.

   出便咁黑，又好似要落雨噉。 [Cantonese, trad. and simp.]

   ceot¹ bin⁶ gam³ hak¹, jau⁶ hou² ci⁵ jiu³ lok⁶ jyu⁵ gam². [Jyutping]

   It looks like it's going to rain outside.

   • 從右脅出，墮地行七步，無人扶侍；遍觀四方，舉手而言：「天上天下唯我為尊。要度眾生生老病死。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     从右胁出，堕地行七步，无人扶侍；遍观四方，举手而言：「天上天下唯我为尊。要度众生生老病死。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Dirgha Agama, translated by Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian circa 5^th century CE

     Cóng yòu xié chū, duò dì xíng qī bù, wúrén fúshì; biànguān sìfāng, jǔ shǒu ér yán: “Tiānshàng tiānxià wéi wǒ wèi zūn. Yào dù zhòngshēng shēnglǎobìngsǐ.” [Pinyin]

     Having come out of [his mother's] right side, he went down onto the earth and walked, helped by none, seven steps; he looked around in four directions, lifted up his hand, and said: ‘In the heavens above and below the heavens, I alone am exalted. I will save all living beings from birth, aging, sickness, and death.’

7. should; must; to have to

   不要喝酒。  ―  Bùyào hē jiǔ.  ―  Don't drink alcohol.

   你今天一定要去看病。 [MSC, trad. and simp.]

   Nǐ jīntiān yīdìng yào qù kànbìng. [Pinyin]

   You must go to the doctor today.

   你要等一會兒，我的老闆現在正忙得不可開交。 [MSC, trad.]
   你要等一会儿，我的老板现在正忙得不可开交。 [MSC, simp.]

   Nǐ yào děng yīhuìr, wǒ de lǎobǎn xiànzài zhèng máng de bùkěkāijiāo. [Pinyin]

   You have to wait a moment. My boss is extremely busy now.

8. vital; important

   要職／要职  ―  yàozhí  ―  important post

   主要  ―  zhǔyào  ―  main

9. important points; essentials
10. if; in case of

    要繫腰帶，就用不著吊帶了。 [MSC, trad.]
    要系腰带，就用不着吊带了。 [MSC, simp.]

    Yào jì yāodài, jiù yòngbùzháo diàodài le. [Pinyin]

    You don't need braces if you're wearing a belt.

11. (dated Shanghainese) Used to indicate the future tense.

    Synonym: 快

Usage notes

• Beware that 要飯／要饭 (yàofàn, literally “to want rice”) is a phrase with the meaning "to be a beggar/loafer" which is insulting to others and should be avoided when asking a person whether they want rice.

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 要 (“to want (to do something)”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		欲1
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		要, 欲1
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	要
	Taiwan	要, 想
	Malaysia	要
	Singapore	要
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	要
Central Plains Mandarin	Xi'an	要
	Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)	要
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	要
	Wuhan	要
	Guilin	要
Jianghuai Mandarin	Yangzhou	要
	Hefei	要
Cantonese	Guangzhou	要, 想
	Hong Kong	要, 想
	Shenzhen (Dapeng)	愛
	Yangjiang	愛
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	要, 想, 愛
	Singapore (Guangfu)	要, 想
Gan	Nanchang	要
Hakka	Meixian	愛
	Longmen (Luxi; Bendihua)	愛
	Wuhua (Meilin)	愛
	Zijin	愛
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	愛
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	愛
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	愛
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	愛
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	愛
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	愛, 討
	Kuching (Hepo)	愛
Jin	Taiyuan	要
Northern Min	Jian'ou	讓
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	欲3
Southern Min	Xiamen	欲3
	Quanzhou	欲3
	Jinjiang	欲3
	Zhangzhou	欲3
	Taipei	欲3
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	欲3
	Kaohsiung	欲3
	Yilan	欲3
	Changhua (Lukang)	欲3
	Taichung	欲3
	Tainan	欲3
	Hsinchu	欲3
	Kinmen	欲3
	Penghu (Magong)	欲3
	Penang (Hokkien)	愛
	Singapore (Hokkien)	愛, 欲3
	Manila (Hokkien)	欲3, 愛
	Medan (Hokkien)	愛
	Chaozhou	愛
	Shantou	愛
	Haifeng	愛
	Singapore (Teochew)	愛
	Wenchang	欲3
	Qionghai	欲3
	Singapore (Hainanese)	欲3
Wu	Shanghai	要
	Suzhou	要
	Wenzhou	愛
	Lishui	樂
Xiang	Changsha	要
	Shuangfeng	要

Dialectal synonyms of 要 (“to wish to have; to want (an object)”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		要
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	要
	Taiwan	要
	Singapore	要
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	要
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Yantai (Muping)	要
Central Plains Mandarin	Wanrong	要
	Xi'an	要
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	要
	Wuhan	要
	Guiyang	要
	Guilin	要
Jianghuai Mandarin	Hefei	要
Cantonese	Guangzhou	要, 愛
	Hong Kong	要, 愛
	Yangjiang	愛, 捰
	Singapore (Guangfu)	要
Gan	Nanchang	要
	Lichuan	要
Hakka	Meixian	愛
	Longmen (Luxi; Bendihua)	愛
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	愛
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	愛
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	愛
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	愛
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	愛
Huizhou	Jixi	要
Jin	Taiyuan	要
Northern Min	Jian'ou	讓
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	欲挃, 挃
Southern Min	Xiamen	欲挃
	Quanzhou	欲挃
	Zhangzhou	欲挃
	Tainan	欲挃
	Singapore (Hokkien)	愛
	Manila (Hokkien)	欲挃, 挃, 愛
	Chaozhou	愛
	Jieyang	愛
	Singapore (Teochew)	愛
	Wenchang	要
	Singapore (Hainanese)	要
Wu	Suzhou	要
	Wenzhou	要
Xiang	Changsha	要
	Loudi	要

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (要):

• → Japanese: 要(よう) (yō)
• → Korean: 요(要) (yo)
• → Vietnamese: yếu (要)

Compounds

• 不待要
• 不得要領／不得要领 (bùdéyàolǐng)
• 不著要
• 不要 (bùyào)
• 不要忙
• 不要緊／不要紧 (bùyàojǐn)
• 不要臉／不要脸 (bùyàoliǎn)
• 不關緊要／不关紧要
• 不需要
• 且要
• 主要 (zhǔyào)
• 位居要津
• 偏要 (piānyào)
• 傳神秘要／传神秘要
• 兵要 (bīngyào)
• 兵要圖／兵要图
• 典要
• 切要 (qièyào)
• 動中窾要／动中窾要
• 勢要／势要 (shìyào)
• 千金要方
• 原始要終／原始要终
• 又要
• 只要 (zhǐyào)
• 咽喉要路
• 唐會要／唐会要
• 國內要聞／国内要闻
• 國力要素／国力要素
• 多端寡要
• 大要 (dàyào)
• 妙言要道
• 宋會要／宋会要
• 將要／将要 (jiāngyào)
• 就要
• 必要 (bìyào)
• 必要條件／必要条件 (bìyào tiáojiàn)
• 快要 (kuàiyào)
• 急要 (jíyào)
• 打要
• 抓尖要強／抓尖要强
• 扼要 (èyào)
• 指要 (zhǐyào)
• 提要 (tíyào)
• 摘要 (zhāiyào)
• 撮要 (cuōyào)
• 擇要／择要 (zéyào)
• 政要 (zhèngyào)
• 旨要 (zhǐyào)
• 會要／会要
• 有緊沒要／有紧没要
• 有要沒緊／有要没紧
• 概要 (gàiyào)
• 樞要／枢要
• 機要／机要 (jīyào)
• 權要／权要
• 權豪勢要／权豪势要
• 權貴顯要／权贵显要
• 次要 (cìyào)
• 款要
• 正要 (zhèngyào)
• 死不要臉／死不要脸
• 死要臉／死要脸
• 沒緊要／没紧要
• 沒要緊／没要紧
• 法書要錄／法书要录
• 治要
• 津要 (jīnyào)
• 清要
• 無關緊要／无关紧要 (wúguānjǐnyào)
• 爭勝要強／争胜要强
• 硬是要得
• 硬要 (yìngyào)
• 祕要／秘要
• 秉要執本／秉要执本
• 窮極要妙／穷极要妙
• 第一要緊／第一要紧
• 節要／节要
• 簡明扼要／简明扼要 (jiǎnmíng èyào)
• 簡要／简要 (jiǎnyào)
• 紀要／纪要 (jìyào)
• 緊要／紧要 (jǐnyào)
• 綱要／纲要 (gāngyào)
• 緊要處／紧要处
• 緊要關頭／紧要关头 (jǐnyào guāntóu)
• 練要／练要
• 總要／总要
• 至要
• 舉要刪蕪／举要删芜
• 舉要治繁／举要治繁
• 衝要／冲要
• 襟要
• 要不 (yàobù)
• 要不得 (yàobùdé)
• 要不然 (yàobùrán)
• 要不的
• 要事 (yàoshì)
• 要人 (yàorén)
• 要人好看
• 要件 (yàojiàn)
• 要價／要价 (yàojià)
• 要價還價／要价还价
• 要公
• 要切
• 要則／要则
• 要務／要务 (yàowù)
• 要千取萬／要千取万
• 要口
• 要命 (yàomìng)
• 要命鬼
• 要員／要员 (yàoyuán)
• 要圖／要图 (yàotú)
• 要地 (yàodì)
• 要塞 (yàosài)
• 要好 (yàohǎo)
• 要好成歉
• 要害 (yàohài)
• 要帳／要帐 (yàozhàng)
• 要強／要强 (yàoqiáng)
• 要得 (yàodé)
• 要旨 (yàozhǐ)
• 要是 (yàoshi)
• 要案
• 要死 (yàosǐ)
• 要死要活
• 要津 (yàojīn)
• 要犯 (yàofàn)
• 要略 (yàolüè)
• 要目 (yàomù)
• 要知
• 要端
• 要約／要约
• 要素 (yàosù)
• 要緊／要紧 (yàojǐn)
• 要義／要义 (yàoyì)
• 要而言之
• 要聞／要闻 (yàowén)
• 要職／要职 (yàozhí)
• 要臉／要脸 (yàoliǎn)
• 要衝／要冲 (yàochōng)
• 要角
• 要言
• 要言不煩／要言不烦
• 要言妙道
• 要訣／要诀 (yàojué)
• 要證／要证
• 要路
• 要路津
• 要近
• 要道 (yàodào)
• 要錢／要钱
• 要隘 (yào'ài)
• 要面子
• 要項／要项
• 要領／要领
• 要飯／要饭 (yàofàn)
• 要飯的／要饭的 (yàofànde)
• 要麼／要么 (yàome)
• 要點／要点 (yàodiǎn)
• 記要／记要 (jìyào)
• 貞觀政要／贞观政要
• 貴要／贵要
• 蹊要
• 輯要／辑要
• 達官顯要／达官显要 (dáguānxiǎnyào)
• 道要
• 重要 (zhòngyào)
• 重要分子
• 重要性 (zhòngyàoxìng)
• 金匱要略／金匮要略
• 鉤元提要／钩元提要
• 鉤玄提要／钩玄提要
• 險要／险要 (xiǎnyào)
• 需要 (xūyào)
• 靖康要錄／靖康要录
• 韻會舉要／韵会举要
• 須要／须要 (xūyào)
• 顯要／显要 (xiǎnyào)
• 首要 (shǒuyào)
• 體要／体要
• 齊民要術／齐民要术

 

Pronunciation 3

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yǎo (yao³)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧㄠˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jiu²

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yǎo
    • Zhuyin: ㄧㄠˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yǎo
    • Wade–Giles: yao³
    • Yale: yǎu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yeau
    • Palladius: яо (jao)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɑʊ̯²¹⁴/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: jiu²
    • Yale: yíu
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jiu²
    • Guangdong Romanization: yiu²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jiːu̯³⁵/

Definitions

要

1. (archaic) Alternative form of 偠 (yǎo)
2. Used in 要褭／要袅.

Compounds

• 要妙
• 要眇
• 要紹／要绍
• 要褭／要袅

 

References

• “要”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[3], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

Japanese

Shinjitai	要
Kyūjitai	要󠄁 要+󠄁? (Adobe-Japan1)
	要󠄃 要+󠄃? (Hanyo-Denshi) (Moji_Joho)
The displayed kanji may be different from the image due to your environment. See here for details.

See also 要する

Kanji

要

(Fourth grade kyōiku kanji)

1. need, necessity
2. essential

Readings

• Go-on: よう (yō, Jōyō)^{←えう (eu, historical)←𛀁う (yeu, ancient)}
• Kan-on: よう (yō, Jōyō)^{←えう (eu, historical)←𛀁う (yeu, ancient)}
• Kun: いる (iru, 要る, Jōyō)、かなめ (kaname, 要, Jōyō)、かのめ (kanome, 要)、ぬま (numa, 要)、ぬみ (numi, 要)

Compounds

Compounds

• 肝(かん)要(よう) (kan'yō, “critical; vital”)
• 概(がい)要(よう) (gaiyō)
• 強(きょう)要(よう) (kyōyō)
• 主(しゅ)要(よう) (shuyō)
• 所(しょ)要(よう) (shoyō)
• 重(じゅう)要(よう) (jūyō)
• 需(じゅ)要(よう) (juyō)
• 必(ひつ)要(よう) (hitsuyō)
  • 不(ふ)必(ひつ)要(よう) (fuhitsuyō)
• 不(ふ)要(よう) (fuyō)
• 法(ほう)要(よう) (hōyō, “wake; memorial service”)
• 要(よう)員(いん) (yōin)
• 要(よう)因(いん) (yōin)
• 要(よう)求(きゅう) (yōkyū)
• 要(よう)件(けん) (yōken)
• 要(よう)綱(こう) (yōkō, “gist; general idea”)
• 要(よう)項(こう) (yōkō, “main points”)
• 要(よう)塞(さい) (yōsai)
• 要(よう)旨(し) (yōshi)
• 要(よう)所(しょ) (yōsho, “important position”)
• 要(よう)衝(しょう) (yōshō)
• 要(よう)職(しょく) (yōshoku)
• 要(よう)人(じん) (yōjin)
• 要(よう)請(せい) (yōsei)
• 要(よう)素(そ) (yōso)
• 要(よう)注(ちゅう)意(い) (yōchūi, “special care required”)
• 要(よう)点(てん) (yōten)
• 要(よう)望(ぼう) (yōbō)
• 要(よう)約(やく) (yōyaku)
• 要(よう)領(りょう) (yōryō)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
要
よう Grade: 4
on'yomi

From Middle Chinese 要 (MC 'jiew|'jiewH).

First cited to 611 CE.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) よー [yóꜜò] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [jo̞ː]

Noun

要(よう) • (yō) ^{←えう (eu)?}

1. [611] key, important point
2. [circa 999] essential piece of something, requirement

   要(よう)予約(よやく)

   yō yoyaku

   reservation is required

   要(よう)確認(かくにん)

   yō kakunin

   to be confirmed

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
要
かなめ Grade: 4
kun'yomi

要 (kaname, kanome): the kaname is the metal rivet at the base of the handle.

要 (kaname, kanome): close-up of the kaname of a fan.

/kani no me/ → /kanome/ → /kaname/

A shift from older 蟹の目 (kani no me, “crab's eye”) from a superficial resemblance of the round pinhead of a folding fan to a crab's eye, influenced by a reanalysis of the term as 金目 (kaname, literally “metal” + visually prominent feature), as the pins were increasingly made from metal instead of earlier bamboo, wood, or whalebone.

First cited to 1220.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) かなめ [kànámé] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [ka̠na̠me̞]

Noun

要(かなめ) • (kaname) 

1. [1254] a pin or rivet holding the spines of a folding fan together

   Synonyms: 要 (kanome), 蟹の目 (kani no me)

2. [1220] (by extension) a pivot, cornerstone, keystone

   Synonym: (cornerstone, keystone) 要石 (kaname ishi)

3. [1612] a pin, often decorated, holding the handle to the tang of a katana

   Synonym: 目貫 (menuki)

4. [1712] Short for 要黐 (kaname mochi): a tree, Japanese photinia (Photinia glabra)

   Synonyms: カナメモチ (kaname mochi), (kanji spelling seems to be less common) 要黐 (kaname mochi)

5. [1906] (architecture) in a certain kind of traditional Japanese hip roof where the rafters splay out like the spines of a fan, the central point to which the rafter lines converge

   Coordinate term: (literally “fan rafter”) 扇垂木 (ōgi taruki)

Proper noun

要(かなめ) • (Kaname) 

1. a female given name

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
要
かのめ Grade: 4
kun'yomi

/kani no me/ → /kanome/

A shift from older 蟹の目 (kani no me, “crab's eye”) from a superficial resemblance of the round pinhead of a folding fan to a crab's eye, influenced by a reanalysis of the term as 金目 (kaname, literally “metal” + visually prominent feature), as the pins were increasingly made from metal instead of earlier bamboo, wood, or whalebone.

First cited to roughly 1140. This reading may be obsolete, and it is not included in some dictionaries.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ka̠no̞me̞]

Noun

要(かのめ) • (kanome) 

1. [circa 1140] (archaic, possibly obsolete) the pin or rivet holding the spines of a folding fan together

Derived terms

• 要(かなめ) (kaname)

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
要
ぬみ Grade: 4
kun'yomi

Kanji in this term
要
ぬま Grade: 4
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
要害

From Old Japanese. Further derivation unknown.

First cited in the Nihon Shoki of 720 CE, listed with both readings numa and numi.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [nɯ̟ma̠]
• IPA^(key): [nɯ̟mʲi]

Noun

要(ぬま) or 要(ぬみ) • (numa or numi) 

1. [720] (archaic, possibly obsolete) fortress, redoubt
2. [720] (archaic, possibly obsolete) important point, key

Korean

Hanja

要 (eumhun 중요할 요 (jung'yohal yo))

1. hanja form^? of 요 (“importance”)

Compounds

• 주요 (主要, juyo, “main”)

Vietnamese

Han character

要: Hán Nôm readings: yếu, yêu

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.