| 主要 | zhǔ yào | main; principal; major; primary |
| 要求 | yāo qiú | to request; to require; to stake a claim; to ask; to demand; CL:点 |
| 需要 | xū yào | to need; to want; to demand; to require; requirement; need |
| 要 | yāo | to demand; to request; to coerce |
| 要 | yào | important; vital; to want; will; going to (as future auxiliary); may; must |
| 重要 | zhòng yào | important; significant; major |
| 不要 | bù yào | don't!; must not |
| 只要 | zhǐ yào | if only; so long as |
| 必要 | bì yào | necessary; essential; indispensable; required |
| 要是 | yào shi | if |
| 要不 | yào bù | otherwise; or; or else; how about...? (one choice or the other); either this, or else... |
| 重要性 | zhòng yào xìng | importance |
| 要素 | yào sù | essential factor; key constituent |
| 将要 | jiāng yào | will; shall; be going to |
| 要紧 | yào jǐn | important; urgent |
| 要件 | yào jiàn | key document; important condition; criterion; requirement; requisite; cornerstone |
| 首要 | shǒu yào | the most important; of chief importance |
| 要好 | yào hǎo | be on good terms; be close friends |
| 次要 | cì yào | secondary |
| 须要 | xū yào | must; have to |
| 主要原因 | zhǔ yào yuán yīn | main reason; primary cause |
| 就要 | jiù yào | will; shall; be going to |
| 要点 | yào diǎn | main point; essential |
| 不要紧 | bù yào jǐn | unimportant; not serious; it doesn't matter; never mind; it looks all right; but |
| 要领 | yào lǐng | main aspects; essentials; gist |
| 要人 | yào rén | important person |
| 纲要 | gāng yào | outline; essential points |
| 不必要 | bù bì yào | needless; unnecessary |
| 简要 | jiǎn yào | concise; brief |
| 快要 | kuài yào | almost; nearly; almost all |
| 要不是 | yào bu shì | if it were not for; but for |
| 要得 | yào dé | good; fine |
| 紧要 | jǐn yào | critical; crucial; vital |
| 要害 | yào hài | crucial; key point |
| 要不然 | yào bù rán | otherwise; or else; or |
| 要强 | yào qiáng | eager to excel; wishing to outdo others |
| 摘要 | zhāi yào | summary; abstract |
| 要地 | yào dì | strategic location |
| 扼要 | è yào | to the point; concise |
| 要命 | yào mìng | to cause sb's death; very; extremely; frightening; annoying |
| 要么 | yào me | or; either one or the other |
| 要道 | yào dào | major road; thoroughfare; main road |
| 要犯 | yào fàn | major criminal |
| 要饭 | yào fàn | to beg (for food or money) |
| 要冲 | yào chōng | road hub; major crossroad |
| 提要 | tí yào | summary; abstract |
| 必要性 | bì yào xìng | necessity |
| 险要 | xiǎn yào | inaccessible stronghold; strategic fortress |
| 大要 | dà yào | abstract; gist; main points |
| 要职 | yào zhí | key job; important position |
