必要 (bì yào) — necessary; essential | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

必要 (bì yào) is an adjective meaning 'necessary, essential' — it describes something needed for a purpose. Unlike 必需 (bì xū), which is a verb meaning 'to need/require' (e.g., 必需品 'necessities'), 必要 modifies nouns directly (必要的条件 'necessary condition'). For a stronger, more formal sense of 'indispensable', use 必不可少 or 不可或缺.

adjective

necessaryessential

Examples

必要。
Cānjiā zhè cì huìyì hěn bì yào.
It is necessary to attend this meeting.
必要。
Shuǐ shì shēnghuó zhōng bì yào de dōngxi.
Water is an essential thing in life.
必要。
Zuò zhège shíyàn xūyào bì yào de bùzhòu.
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