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Collins Chinese-English Dictionary

要 [yào]
  1. 1. adjective important
  2. 2. noun main issue
  3. 3. verb [想得到] want
    我女儿要一个新书包。
    My daughter wants a new schoolbag.
  4. 4. verb [要求] ask
    老师要我们安静。
    The teacher asked us to be quiet.
  5. 5. aux vb [应该] should
    饭前要洗手。
    You should wash your hands before you eat.
  6. 6. aux vb [需要] need
    我要上厕所。
    I need the toilet.
    这台风扇要多少钱？
    How much is this fan?
  7. 7. aux vb [表示意志] want
    我要学开车。
    I want to learn to drive.
  8. 8. aux vb [将要] be about to
    我们要放暑假了。
    We're about to break for summer vacation.
  9. 9. aux vb [用于比较]
    姐姐比妹妹要高些。
    The elder sister is taller than the younger.
    她要挣得比你多点。
    She earns a bit more than you.
  10. 10. conjunction [如果] if
    你要碰见他，替我问声好。
    If you meet him, say hello from me.
  11. 11. conjunction [要么] either … or
    要就同意，要就不同意，别模棱两可。
    Either you agree or you disagree – don't sit on the fence.

Comprehensive Chinese-English Dictionary

要 [yào]
  1. 1. adjective important; essential
    要事
    an important matter (or affair)
    上述规定希严格执行为要。
    It is imperative that the above rules be strictly observed.
    他是个政坛要人。
    办理这件案子效率为要。
  2. 2. noun main points; essentials
    择要记录
    note down the essential points
    他就这个问题择要向大家作了说明。
  3. 3. verb want; ask for; wish; desire
    他要一架手风琴。
    He wants an accordion.
    这双鞋我还要呢。
    I want to keep these shoes.
    我要了两个菜。
    I ordered two dishes.
    他把自己不要的东西都扔了出去。
    他没要最后一个月的工钱。
    他刚才向我要你的手机号，我没告诉他。
    我给他买的东西他全都没要。
  4. 4. verb ask (or want) somebody to do something
    老大爷要我替他写封信。
    The old man asked me to write a letter for him.
    不是你要我来的吗?
    Wasn't it you who asked me to come?
    她向妈妈要了一百块钱。
    您有什么需要我帮忙的吗？
    他要我去帮他买瓶水。
    小女孩想要妈妈帮她买那件漂亮的衣服。
    他要求我今天必须把这件事做完。
  5. 5. verb want to; wish to
    这位先生要见总经理。
    This gentleman wishes to see the general manager.
    我还有几句话要说。
    I'd like to say a few more words.
    他要学游泳。
    He wants to learn swimming.
    现在我们要做的事情还很多。
  6. 6. verb must; should; it is necessary (or imperative, essential)
    我要不要留下来?
    Shall I stay?
    这个问题要仔细考虑。
    This question calls for careful consideration.
    早点儿睡吧，明天还要起早呢。
    Let's go to bed now. We'll have to get up early tomorrow morning.
    你要去做什么？
    他告诉我要坚强，不要哭。
    他告诉自己生活还要继续。
    我们要继续贯彻落实科学发展观。
  7. 7. verb shall; will; be going to
    要下雨了。
    It's going to rain.
    天要黑了，快走吧。
    It's getting dark. Let's hurry up!
    他快要回来了。
    He will soon be back.
    天灰蒙蒙的，看样子是要下雨。
    他一直想要出国。
    她本来是要答应的，后来不知怎么变了卦。
  8. 8. verb need; take
    这项任务要十天才能完成。
    It will take ten days to get the work done.
    这活儿要不了这么多人。
    You don't need so many people for this job.
    这项制度据说年内要取消。
  9. 9. verb used in comparisons to indicate an estimate
    你们要比我们辛苦得多。
    You must have had a much tougher time than we did.
    树阴底下比屋子里要凉快些。
    It is cooler under the tree than in the room.
  10. 10. conjunction if; suppose; in case
    我要赶不回来，你替我说一声。
    In case I can't get back in time, please apologize for me.
    这有什么可怕的，要我就不怕。
    What is there to be afraid of? I wouldn't be afraid if I were you.
    我要不在，你就先替我顶着。
    那天他要在的话，事情也不至于这样。
  11. 11. conjunction (usually used with 就 or 就是) or; either... or...
    要就去跳舞，要就去听音乐，别处我不去。
    Let's go either to the dance or to the concert. I won't go anywhere else.
    你要么回家，要么就老老实实呆在这儿。

Contemporary Standard Chinese Dictionary

要 [yào]
  1. 1. 名 主要的内容
    摘要。
    纪要。
    扼要。
  2. 2. 形 重大
    要事。
    要职。
    次要。
  3. 3. 动 想;希望
    三个人要看戏,可只有一张票。
    若要人不知,除非己莫为。
  4. 4. 动 希望得到或保有
    想要这本书吗?
    这把扇子我还要呢。
  5. 5. 动 索取
    只要了一瓶饮料。
    要账。
  6. 6. 动 要求;请求
    小王要我陪他去。
    他要老师再讲一遍。
  7. 7. 动 需要
    买件衬衣要多少钱?。
    坐车只要半小时就到。
  8. 8. 动 应该
    我们要团结起来。
    说话要简单明了。
  9. 9. 动 将要,表示肯定地推论事物发展的趋势
    下个月他要探亲去。
    天要晴了,不必带伞。
  10. 10. 动 在比较句中表示估计
    你的字比我写的要强多了。
    看来今天要比昨天凉快。
  11. 11. 动 表示做某事的决心和希望
    一定要把淮河修好。
  12. 12. 连 连接分句,表示假设关系,相当于"如果"
    明天要起风,我们就不出海了。
  13. 13. 连 连接分句,表示选择关系,相当于"要么……,要么……"
    要就学钢琴,要就学提琴,总之要学一样。
See more results for 要 in the English-Chinese Dictionary

Examples

要就学钢琴,要就学提琴,总之要学一样。 → 要
我们看问题，不但要看到部分，而且要看到全体。
In approaching a problem we should see the whole as well as the parts. → 部分
看问题，不但要看到部分，而且要看到全体。
In approaching a problem one should see the whole as well as the parts. → 全体
要赛出水平，也要赛出风格。
We must give a good account of ourselves and display fine sportsmanship as well. → 赛
要就去跳舞，要就去听音乐，别处我不去。
Let's go either to the dance or to the concert. I won't go anywhere else. → 要
对产品要质检，对人也要质检。
Products need quality inspection, so do people. → 质检
我们要一定要弄清事情的本来面目。 → 本来面目
要想写出好作品就要学会捕捉那一纵即逝的灵感。 → 捕捉
要完成任何一篇优秀的论文都要参看前人的成果。 → 参看
要想唱好黄梅戏，就要了解一些唱名法的知识。 → 唱名法
more 6377 more results

Character Decomposition

覀
[xī]		 + 女
[nǚ]

Stroke Order

play
 Total Strokes: 9
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nciku Note

Modal verbs

Modal verbs such as "想", "要", "可以", "会" are often put before verbs to show will, capability or possibility. putting "不" before the modal verbs is the negative forms of these verbs.

by nciku_edu

View other nciku notes

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