要

Contents

TranslingualEdit

Stroke order

Stroke order

Han characterEdit

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

Derived charactersEdit

• 腰 覅

ReferencesEdit

• KangXi: page 1128, character 16
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 34768
• Dae Jaweon: page 1597, character 4
• Hanyu Da Zidian: volume 4, page 2805, character 8
• Unihan data for U+8981

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ChineseEdit

simp. and trad.		要

Glyph originEdit

Historical forms of the character 要
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Large seal script	Small seal script

Pictogram (象形): a woman (女 (nǚ)) with two hands pointing to her midsection.

Original meaning was "waist" (now 腰 (yāo)). The hands gradually shifted upwards; the 覀 (xī) in the modern form evolved from the hands and the woman's head.

Pronunciation 1Edit

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yāo (yao¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧㄠ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jiu¹
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): yêu
• Min Nan (POJ): iau
• Wu (Wiktionary): iau (T1)

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese, Beijing)⁺
    • Pinyin: yāo
    • Zhuyin: ㄧㄠ
    • Wade-Giles: yao¹
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: iau
    • IPA ^(key): /i̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: jiu¹
    • Yale: yīu
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jiu¹
    • IPA ^(key): /jiːu̯⁵⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yêu
    • Hakka Romanization System: ieu´
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yeu¹
    • IPA: /i̯eu̯²⁴/
  • (Southern Sixian, incl. Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yêu
    • Hakka Romanization System: (r)ieu´
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yeu¹
    • IPA: /(j)i̯eu̯²⁴/
• Min Nan
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: iau
    • Tâi-lô: iau
    • Phofsit Daibuun: iaw
    • IPA (Taipei): /iaʊ⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /iaʊ⁴⁴/
• Wu
  • (Shanghainese)
    • Wiktionary: iau (T1)
    • IPA ^(key): /iɔ⁵³/

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• Middle Chinese: /ʔiᴇu/▼

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
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ʔiᴇu/
Pan Wuyun	/ʔiɛu/
Shao Rongfen	/ʔjæu/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʔiaw/
Li Rong	/ʔiɛu/
Wang Li	/ĭɛu/
Bernard Karlgren	/ʔi̯ɛu/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yāo

• 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/

DefinitionsEdit

要

1. ^† to demand, to ask, to request

   要求  ―  yāoqiú  ―  to request

2. ^† to force, to coerce

   要挾 / 要挟  ―  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. ^† Alternative form of 邀 (yāo).
6. ^† Alternative form of 腰 (yāo, “waist”).
7. ^† contract of alliance

   久要  ―  jiǔyāo  ―  former contract

8. A surname​.

DescendantsEdit

Sino-Xenic (要):

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

Pronunciation 2Edit

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yào (yao⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧㄠˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jiu³
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): yeu
• Min Nan (POJ): iàu
• Wu (Wiktionary): iau (T2)

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese, Beijing)⁺
    • Pinyin: yào
    • Zhuyin: ㄧㄠˋ
    • Wade-Giles: yao⁴
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yaw
    • IPA ^(key): /i̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: jiu³
    • Yale: yiu
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jiu³
    • IPA ^(key): /jiːu̯³³/
• Hakka
  • (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yeu
    • Hakka Romanization System: ieu
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yeu⁴
    • IPA: /i̯eu̯⁵⁵/
  • (Southern Sixian, incl. Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yeu
    • Hakka Romanization System: (r)ieu
    • Hagfa Pinyim: yeu⁴
    • IPA: /(j)i̯eu̯⁵⁵/
• Min Nan
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: iàu
    • Tâi-lô: iàu
    • Phofsit Daibuun: iaux
    • IPA (Taipei): /iaʊ¹¹/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /iaʊ²¹/
• Wu
  • (Shanghainese)
    • Wiktionary: iau (T2)
    • IPA ^(key): /iɔ³⁴/

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• Middle Chinese: /ʔiᴇu^H/▼

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
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ʔiᴇuH/
Pan Wuyun	/ʔiɛuH/
Shao Rongfen	/ʔjæuH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʔiawH/
Li Rong	/ʔiɛuH/
Wang Li	/ĭɛuH/
Bernard Karlgren	/ʔi̯ɛuH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yào

• 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/

DefinitionsEdit

要

1. to want; to wish; to need

   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. 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.

3. about to

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

     Ceot¹ bin⁶ gam³ haak¹, jau⁶ hou² ci⁵ jiu³ lok⁶ jyu⁵ gam². [Jyutping]

     It looks like it's going to rain outside.

4. should; to 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 lǎopǎn xiànzài zhèng máng de bùkěkāijiāo. [Pinyin]

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

5. vital, important

   重要  ―  zhòngyào  ―  important

   主要  ―  zhǔyào  ―  main

6. 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.

SynonymsEdit

DescendantsEdit

Sino-Xenic (要):

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

CompoundsEdit

Derived terms from 要

• 不待要
• 不著要
• 不要 (bùyào)
• 不要忙
• 不要緊／不要紧 (bùyàojǐn)
• 不要臉／不要脸 (bùyàoliǎn)
• 不需要
• 且要
• 主要 (zhǔyào)
• 久要
• 偏要 (piānyào)
• 兵要 (bīngyào)
• 兵要圖／兵要图
• 典要
• 切要 (qièyào)
• 勢要／势要
• 又要
• 只要 (zhǐyào)
• 唐會要／唐会要
• 大要
• 宋會要／宋会要
• 將要／将要 (jiāngyào)
• 就要 (jiùyào)
• 必要 (bìyào)
• 快要 (kuàiyào)
• 急要 (jíyào)
• 打要
• 扼要 (èyào)
• 指要
• 提要 (tíyāo)
• 摘要 (zhāiyào)
• 撮要
• 擇要／择要
• 政要
• 旨要
• 會要／会要
• 概要 (gàilüè)
• 樞要／枢要
• 機要／机要
• 權要／权要
• 次要 (cìyào)
• 款要
• 正要 (zhèngyào)
• 死要臉／死要脸
• 沒緊要／没紧要
• 沒要緊／没要紧
• 治要
• 津要
• 清要
• 硬要
• 祕要
• 節要／节要
• 簡要／简要 (jiǎnyào)

• 紀要／纪要 (jìyào)
• 綱要／纲要 (gāngyào)
• 緊要／紧要
• 緊要處／紧要处
• 練要／练要
• 總要／总要
• 至要
• 衝要／冲要
• 襟要
• 要不 (yàobù)
• 要不得 (yàobùdé)
• 要不然 (yàobùrán)
• 要不的
• 要事
• 要人 (yàorén)
• 要件
• 要價／要价 (yàojià)
• 要公
• 要切
• 要則／要则
• 要功
• 要劫
• 要勒
• 要務／要务
• 要口
• 要命 (yàomìng)
• 要命鬼
• 要員／要员
• 要圖／要图
• 要地 (yàodì)
• 要塞 (yàosài)
• 要好 (yàohǎo)
• 要妙
• 要害 (yàohài)
• 要市
• 要帳／要帐
• 要強／要强
• 要得
• 要挾／要挟 (yāoxié)
• 要擊／要击
• 要旨 (yàozhǐ)
• 要是 (yàoshi)
• 要時／要时
• 要服
• 要束
• 要案
• 要死
• 要求 (yāoqiú)
• 要津
• 要犯
• 要略
• 要盟

• 要目
• 要眇
• 要知
• 要端
• 要約／要约 (yāoyuè)
• 要約人／要约人
• 要素 (yàosù)
• 要結／要结
• 要絰
• 要緊／要紧 (yàojǐn)
• 要義／要义
• 要聞／要闻
• 要職／要职
• 要脅／要胁
• 要臉／要脸 (yàoliǎn)
• 要荒
• 要衝／要冲
• 要褭／要袅
• 要角
• 要言
• 要訣／要诀
• 要誓
• 要證／要证
• 要買／要买
• 要路
• 要路津
• 要近
• 要道
• 要錢／要钱
• 要隘
• 要離／要离
• 要面子
• 要項／要项
• 要領／要领 (yāolǐng)
• 要飯／要饭
• 要飯的／要饭的
• 要麼／要么 (yàome)
• 要點／要点 (yàodiǎn)
• 訂久要／订久要
• 記要／记要
• 貴要／贵要
• 蹊要
• 輯要／辑要
• 道要
• 重要 (zhòngyào)
• 重要性 (zhòngyàoxìng)
• 險要／险要 (xiǎnyào)
• 需要 (xūyào)
• 須要／须要
• 顯要／显要
• 首要 (shǒuyào)
• 體要／体要

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JapaneseEdit

See also 要する

KanjiEdit

要

(grade 4 “Kyōiku” kanji)

1. need, necessity, essential

ReadingsEdit

• Goon: よう (yō), (historical) えう (eu)
• Kan’on: よう (yō), (historical) えう (eu)
• Kun: いる (要る, iru), かなめ (kaname), かのめ (kanome), ぬま (numa [archaic]), ぬみ (numi [archaic])

CompoundsEdit

• 重要 (じゅうよう) ‎(jūyō)
• 要塞 (ようさい) ‎(yōsai)

Etymology 1Edit

NounEdit

要 ‎(hiragana よう, romaji yō)

1. cornerstone
2. requirement

Etymology 2Edit

NounEdit

要 ‎(hiragana かなめ, romaji kaname)

1. pivot, cornerstone, keystone

Proper nounEdit

要 ‎(hiragana かなめ, romaji Kaname)

1. A male given name

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KoreanEdit

HanjaEdit

要 • ‎(yo) (hangeul 요, McCune-Reischauer yo, Yale yo)

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

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VietnameseEdit

Han characterEdit

要 (yếu, éo, eo, yêu)

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