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

Definition

必要 is the adjective 'necessary / essential', modifying nouns (必要的步骤). The verb 必需 means 'to need/require'; 必然 describes something inevitable, not chosen.

adjective

necessaryessential

Examples

必要。
Cān jiā zhè cì huì yì hěn bì yào.
It is necessary to attend this meeting.
必要。
Shuǐ shì shēng huó zhōng bì yào de dōng xī.
Water is an essential thing in life.
必要。
Zuò zhè ge shí yàn xū yào bì yào de bù zhòu.
Doing this experiment requires the necessary steps.

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.

必 (must) + 要 (need) means something that must be needed.

Characters in this word

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

The shape of 必 comes from the handle on the right side of a weapon, with two extra strokes added to its sides.

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.

Appears in

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