要案 (yào àn) — major case (in law)

Definition

noun
major case (in law)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 要案。
    Zhè ge yào àn shè jí hěn duō zhòng yào rén wù.
    This major case involves many important people.
  • 要案。
    Fǎ yuàn zhèng zài shěn lǐ yì qǐ yào àn.
    The court is hearing a major case.
  • 要案。
    Jǐng fāng duì yào àn jìn xíng le shēn rù diào chá.
    The police conducted an in-depth investigation into the major case.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

要yàoimportant
案àncase

要 means important and 案 means case; together they name a major or vital case.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

要 began as a drawing of a person with both hands pointing to the waist.

Open 要 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
安
安ān案àn
Same sound today

案 pairs 木, a wood/tree shape, with 安, which is used for its sound.

Open 案 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.