TongTong
Sign in

关键 (guān jiàn) — (noun) key point, crux; (adjective) key, crucial

Definition

关键 as a noun means 'the crux or key point' (e.g. 关键就是时间); as an adjective, 'crucial'. More focused on the decisive factor than 重点 (the main point to emphasize).

noun
key pointcrux
adjective
keycrucial
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 关键。
    guān jiàn Jiù shì shí jiān.
    The key is time.
  • 关键。
    Zhǎo dào wèn tí de guān jiàn hěn zhòng yào.
    Finding the key to the problem is very important.
  • 关键。
    Zhè shì yí gè guān jiàn wèn tí.
    This is a key issue.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

关guānbar/gate
键jiànkey

关 and 键 refer to the bar and key of a lock, so together they mean the crucial point that unlocks a matter.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 關; 关 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
門門méndoor
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢇅
𢇅𢇅關guān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 关, the traditional form 關 shows 門 as a door and 𢇅 as two wooden sticks locking it, with ring-like marks on top.

Open 关 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鍵; 键 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
釒Written in full as金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
建
建jiàn鍵jiàn
Same sound today

The traditional form 鍵 combines 釒 (metal) with 建 for sound, and the evidence describes it as a metal key.

Open 键 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4HSK 2.0 Level 4Abstract Concepts2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 4 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.