首
要

About

The word 首要 is formed through the conceptual merging of its two component characters: 首 (shǒu), meaning "head" or "first", and 要 (yào), meaning "essential" or "important". This combination creates a compound where the idea of "head/first" is directly fused with the idea of "essential", metaphorically producing the meaning of "the foremost essential" or "primary importance". It is a logical semantic construction where the first element modifies and intensifies the second, resulting in a new, unified concept of paramount significance.

Example Sentences Hide

学习是我的首要任务。

Xuéxí shì wǒ de shǒuyào rènwù.

Study is my primary task.

安全是生产的首要条件。

Ānquán shì shēngchǎn de shǒuyào tiáojiàn.

Safety is the primary condition for production.

解决温饱问题是他们的首要目标。

Jiějué wēnbǎo wèntí shì tāmen de shǒuyào mùbiāo.

Solving the food and clothing problem is their primary goal.

在谈判中，建立互信是首要的步骤。

Zài tánpàn zhōng, jiànlì hùxìn shì shǒuyào de bùzhòu.

In negotiations, building mutual trust is the primary step.

鉴于当前形势，稳定经济已成为政府的首要考量。

Jiànyú dāngqián xíngshì, wěndìng jīngjì yǐ chéngwéi zhèngfǔ de shǒuyào kǎoliàng.

Given the current situation, stabilizing the economy has become the government's primary consideration.

Word Definition - 首要

shǒu yào the most important; of chief importance

Individual Character Details

首 shǒu
要 yāo, yào