v.
To demand or claim something firmly, originally by grasping a person's waist (the later 腰). To want, ask for, or need; also signals intention ("be going to") or necessity ("must").
要
Common Usage & Traps
- 要去 — be going to / need to go
- 要水 — want water / ask for water
- 要钱 — want money / ask for money
- 不要 — don't / don't want
- 要上课 — need to go to class / have class
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我想水我要水 / 我想喝水想 + noun usually means miss, not want. To want a thing, use 要 + noun or 想 + verb.
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我很要去我很想去To say really want to go, use 很想. 很要 sounds wrong.
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我不要想去我不想去For I don't feel like going, use 不想. 不要想去 is not standard.
Why can 我要去中国 sound like both 'I want to go' and 'I'm going to go'?
It can mean either, but normally it sounds like a firm plan or intention.
要 covers both desire and future intention. 我要去中国 usually sounds like I intend to go, not just a casual wish. If you only mean a soft wish, 我想去中国 is safer. If you mean a booked plan, add context or use 我打算去中国. Tone and situation decide how forceful it sounds.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Soft wish | 我想去中国。 | 我要去中国。 (can sound too firm) |
| Firm plan | 我要去中国。 | 我想去中国。 (sounds like a wish, not a plan) |
| Third-person future | 他要去大学上课。 | 他想要去大学上课。 (sounds like he wants to, not scheduled) |
Why is 我要水 natural, but for 想 you normally say 我想喝水?
要 can take a thing directly; 想 usually needs a verb when it means want.
If you want a physical object, use 要 + noun. 我要水 means I want water. If you use 想, add a verb: 我想喝水. 想 + noun more often means miss, as in 我想你. So 我想水 is not the clean way to say I want water.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Want a thing | 我要水。 / 我想喝水。 | 我想水。 (sounds broken or like 'miss water') |
| Miss someone | 我想你。 | 我要你。 (means I want you, often romantic or demanding) |
Why can 不要 mean 'don't!' and also 'I don't want it'?
Who you're talking to and word order decide if 不要 is a command or a refusal.
你不要去 usually means Don't go. 我不要去 means I don't want to go, or I won't go. 不想 is softer and clearer for don't feel like. If you tell someone 不要, it often sounds like a direct order.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Command | 你不要去。 | 你不想去。 (means you don't want to go) |
| Soft refusal | 我不想去。 | 我不要去。 (can sound stubborn) |
| Thing refusal | 我不要这个。 | 我不想这个。 |
Why does 你要多喝水 usually mean 'You need to drink more water'?
In advice or instructions, 要 means need to or should.
要 in commands, advice, and rules means need to or should. 你要多喝水 sounds like You should drink more water. If you mean desire, use 想: 你想多喝水吗. Context decides, but 要 usually adds pressure or duty.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Advice | 你要多喝水。 | 你想多喝水。 (sounds like asking about desire) |
| Desire | 我想喝水。 | 我要喝水。 (can sound demanding if tone is flat) |
| Rule | 上课要准时。 | 上课想准时。 (sounds like wants to be on time) |
Can 要 talk about the future like 会, as in 明天要下雨?
Yes, but 要 often sounds imminent or planned, while 会 predicts.
会 predicts a likely future: 明天会下雨. 要 marks something upcoming, often with 了: 明天要下雨了. With people, 我要去北京 sounds like a plan or intention. 我会去北京 sounds more like a promise or neutral future. Do not use 会 for wants or needs.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Prediction | 明天会下雨。 | 明天要下雨。 (sounds imminent, not just prediction) |
| Imminent | 明天要下雨了。 | 明天会下雨了。 |
| Personal plan | 我要去北京。 | 我会去北京。 (sounds like a promise, not a plan) |
Appears in Stories 12 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
In this funny HSK 2 story, a boy asks his father for money every day. When his father tries to teach him a lesson, the boy's clever reply will make you laugh.
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昨天你找我 要 五块钱，今天你再 要 五块钱，明天是不是还要再 要 五块钱。
Meet Dr. Mi, a doctor and teacher at Sichuan University. This simple HSK 1 story shows his daily routine from morning to night, helping you learn time expressions and everyday activities.
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他星期一到星期五都 要 上班。
Follow Xiao Li as he copes with the effects of forest fires near his home in the US and reflects on environmental changes. A thoughtful story for HSK 4 learners.
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小李想，要是天气还这么热，还不下雨，整个森林都 要 烧没了。
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春天和夏天雨水少，温度高的时候，人们也 要 特别小心森林大火。
This humorous dialogue follows a man who spends all his savings on his girlfriend's Apple phone and a lucky number, leaving him broke. A fun read for HSK 3 learners.
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打一次 要 一百多，现在我只在马路上慢跑了。
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她还要换一个电话号码，我帮她选了一个888的号码——这个号码又 要 八百块。
Why would a millionaire leave a table of lobster and wagyu untouched? This story explores the hidden rules of business dining and the true cost of staying alert.
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服务员过来 要 撤，他说，放着吧，等会儿还喝。
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散席后他说 要 送我一段儿。
Ever wondered where old Beijing's tea-drinking culture has gone? Follow a visitor discovering why locals now avoid famous tea houses—and practice expressing surprise and comparisons in Chinese along the way.
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前天有个朋友告诉我， 要 想了解老北京的文化，应该去老茶馆喝一次"大碗儿茶"。
Is four years to reach HSK 5 fast or slow? Follow a conversation between two learners as they compare study hours and share realistic strategies for busy adults.
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大学里面的学生，每天学四个学时，四年 要 学两千八百个学时。
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他们过五级 要 两千个学时。
Enjoy this simple story about a patient and a mysterious apple. It shows how a small act of kindness can make someone feel at home, and you'll learn key words for feelings and daily life.
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马家友病好了， 要 去谢谢谢医生。
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家人都不在， 要 多吃水果。”
Follow a day from waking at six-thirty to coming home at eight, then leap across days, months, and years. This simple story helps you practice speaking about routines and life changes with clear time words.
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明天 要 看《大饭店》。
Meet Xiao Shang, who is heading back to Shanghai. She compares two ways to travel and tells us why she prefers the slower one. This story helps you practice comparing transportation in simple Chinese.
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从北京到上海坐飞机，不到两个小时，但是 要 坐火车，就要最少五个多小时。
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坐火车比坐飞机便宜得多，去飞机场也 要 花很多时间，所以，小商觉得坐火车比坐飞机好。
Before you read, think about the questions you ask every day. This simple poem shows you how to ask age, price, time, and more in friendly Chinese.
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问问题， 要 知道，问老师，说“请问”。
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要 看病，去哪里？
This heartwarming story shows how a small act of kindness can be passed on. Follow Gao Xianming as he learns an important lesson about generosity in his new city.
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他 要 去大学上课。
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坐车 要 九块钱，高先明手里有四块钱，少五块钱。
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