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需要 (xū yào) — (verb) to need, to require, to want; (noun) needs, requirements

Definition

需要 is the neutral 'need / require', used for both things and abstract necessities — more formal than the everyday 要, stronger than 要求 ('request/demand' from someone). 必需 is a fixed adjective meaning 'essential', not a verb.

verb
to needto requireto want
noun
needsrequirements

Examples

  • 需要。
    Wǒ xū yào yì bēi shuǐ.
    I need a glass of water.
  • 需要。
    Xué xí xū yào hěn duō nǔ lì.
    Studying requires a lot of effort.
  • 需要。
    Tā de xū yào hěn jiǎn dān.
    His needs are very simple.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

需xūneed
要yàowant; need

需 and 要 both involve needing or wanting, so together they express need or requirement.

Characters in this word

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

需 originally showed 天, here a person, under 雨, rain, as someone getting wet.

Open 需 →

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 →
Appears in
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