要
to want; will; need; must
yào
What does 要 mean?
要 (yào) is one of Mandarin's most overworked words. It functions as a main verb meaning 'to want / need / ask for' (我要一杯茶 — 'I want a cup of tea') and as a modal expressing future intent or obligation ('will / be going to / have to': 我要走了 — 'I'm about to leave'; 你要小心 — 'you have to be careful'). It also marks predictions about the near future, often paired with 了 at the end of the sentence. English speakers should not confuse 要 with 想 (xiǎng): 想 expresses a wish or desire ('would like to'), while 要 expresses a stronger intention or demand ('want / will'). Saying 我要 in a restaurant is normal, not rude — it's the standard way to order. The negative of modal 要 is usually 不用 (búyòng) or 不想, not 不要 (which means 'don't want / don't!').
Character breakdown
to want; will; need (originally depicted a woman with hands on hips — to demand)
Memory hook: Think of 要 as 'want + will' fused into one word — when in doubt between 'I want X' and 'I'm going to X,' a Chinese speaker often just uses 要.
Example sentences
我要一杯咖啡。
Wǒ yào yì bēi kāfēi.
I'd like a cup of coffee.
spoken
你要去哪儿？
Nǐ yào qù nǎr?
Where are you going?
spoken
明天要下雨。
Míngtiān yào xià yǔ.
It's going to rain tomorrow.
neutral
学中文要每天练习。
Xué Zhōngwén yào měi tiān liànxí.
Learning Chinese requires daily practice.
neutral
不要在这儿抽烟。
Bú yào zài zhèr chōu yān.
Don't smoke here.
spoken
Common phrases with 要
Synonyms
想 is softer — 'would like to / feel like.' 要 is firmer — 'want / will / need.' 我想去北京 ('I'd like to go to Beijing, someday') vs 我要去北京 ('I'm going to Beijing / I want to go now').
需要 specifically means 'to need / require,' often for objects, time, or conditions. 要 covers both 'want' and 'need' but is more conversational. In formal writing, prefer 需要 for 'need.'
得 (děi) is the colloquial 'must / have to,' more common in northern speech. 要 can also mean 'must' but is more neutral and works in both written and spoken contexts.
Don't confuse 要 with
Same pronunciation. 药 is a noun ('medicine') with the grass radical on top. 要 is a verb/modal ('want / will / need').
想 = 'would like / miss / think.' 要 = 'want / will.' Beginners often default to 要 when 想 sounds more polite, e.g. 我想喝水 ('I'd like some water').
Both can mark future, but 会 means 'will (predict / be likely to)' while 要 means 'will (intend to / be about to).' 明天会下雨 ('it'll rain tomorrow' — prediction) vs 我要去 ('I'm going to go' — intention).