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要

yào

1. modal verb to want to; determined to (stronger than 想)

   我要学好中文。

   Wǒ yào xuéhǎo Zhōngwén.

   I am determined to learn Chinese well.

2. modal verb must; should (obligation; negated as 不用/不必)

   过马路要看红绿灯。

   Guò mǎlù yào kàn hónglǜdēng.

   When crossing the street, you must watch the traffic lights.

3. modal verb 不要: do not (prohibition)

   不要在电梯里抽烟。

   Bù yào zài diàntī li chōu yān.

   Do not smoke in the elevator.

4. modal verb to be about to (要…了)

   电影要开始了。

   Diànyǐng yào kāishǐ le.

   The movie is about to start.

5. modal verb will likely (conjecture)

   看这天色，要下雨了。

   Kàn zhè tiānsè, yào xià yǔ le.

   Judging by the sky, it is going to rain.

6. verb to want (something); to order; to ask for

   弟弟要了一个新书包。

   Dìdi yào le yī ge xīn shūbāo.

   My little brother asked for a new schoolbag.

7. verb to take; to require (time, money)

   到机场要一个小时。

   Dào jīchǎng yào yī ge xiǎoshí.

   It takes an hour to get to the airport.

The full ChinesePath dictionary entry for 要 includes audio for every reading and example sentence, more example sentences, collocations, synonyms and links to the course units where it is taught.