要件 (yào jiàn) — important document (legal/administrative); essential condition, prerequisite, necessary element

Definition

A formal/legal term for an 'essential element' — an indispensable condition or required document. Used in contracts, law, and official writing, not everyday speech.

noun
important document (legal/administrative)essential conditionprerequisitenecessary element

Examples

  • 要件，。
    Qǐng qiān shǔ zhè fèn yào jiàn, rán hòu jiāo huí gěi wǒ men.
    Please sign this important document and return it to us.
  • 要件。
    Hé fǎ chéng lì shì hé tong shēng xiào de yào jiàn zhī yī.
    Legal establishment is one of the prerequisites for a contract to take effect.
  • 要件。
    Chéng xìn shì zuò rén de dì yī yào jiàn.
    Integrity is the first essential quality of being a person.

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
件jiànitem/document

'要' (important) and '件' (item/document) combine to mean an essential document or prerequisite.

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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

件 is made of 人, 'man', and 牛, 'cow'.

Open 件 →

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