About
The character 要, structurally composed of 西 positioned above 女, derives from an early concrete meaning associated with the human waist, considered a central and supporting part of the body. This initial sense naturally extended into the abstract domain to signify something essential or important, thereby gaining its adjectival function. Over time, through continued semantic expansion and common usage, the character further developed a strong verbal sense expressing desire or necessity, which has become its primary role in modern language. While its graphical composition has seen little alteration, the semantic trajectory from a physical reference to both a qualitative and operational term demonstrates how core meanings can branch out while the character itself remains constant.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我要吃苹果。
我明天要去学校。
你不要忘记带书包。
我们必须要努力学习。
你想要喝茶还是咖啡？
这封信要寄到上海。
要是下雨，我们就不去了。
完成这个项目需要大家共同努力。