| 1 | 要 | 要 | yào | yao4 | important; vital; to want; to ask for; will; going to (as future auxiliary); may; must; (used in a comparison) must be; probably; if | | |
| 2 | 要是 | 要是 | yào shi | yao4 shi5 | (coll.) if | | |
| 3 | 要素 | 要素 | yào sù | yao4 su4 | essential factor; key constituent | | |
| 4 | 要不 | 要不 | yào bù | yao4 bu4 | otherwise; or else; how about...?; either... (or...) | | |
| 5 | 要紧 | 要緊 | yào jǐn | yao4 jin3 | important; urgent | | |
| 6 | 要不是 | 要不是 | yào bu shì | yao4 bu5 shi4 | if it were not for; but for | | |
| 7 | 要点 | 要點 | yào diǎn | yao4 dian3 | main point; essential | | |
| 8 | 要命 | 要命 | yào mìng | yao4 ming4 | to cause sb's death; very; extremely; frightening; annoying | | |
| 9 | 要好 | 要好 | yào hǎo | yao4 hao3 | to be on good terms; to be close friends; striving for self-improvement | | |
| 10 | 要饭 | 要飯 | yào fàn | yao4 fan4 | major criminal; to beg (for food or money) | | |
| 11 | 要害 | 要害 | yào hài | yao4 hai4 | vital part; (fig.) key point; crucial | | |
| 12 | 要道 | 要道 | yào dào | yao4 dao4 | major road; thoroughfare; main road | | |
| 13 | 要著 | 要著 | yào zhù | yao4 zhu4 | important book | | |
| 14 | 要着 | 要著 | yào zhuó | yao4 zhuo2 | important thing; crucial thing | | |
| 15 | 要西了 | 要西了 | yào xī le | yao4 xi1 le5 | (coll.) unbearable (Shanghainese) | | |
| 16 | 要地 | 要地 | yào dì | yao4 di4 | strategic location | | |
| 17 | 要端 | 要端 | yào duān | yao4 duan1 | the main points | | |
| 18 | 要冲 | 要衝 | yào chōng | yao4 chong1 | road hub; major crossroad | | |
| 19 | 要子 | 要子 | yào zi | yao4 zi5 | straw rope | | |
| 20 | 要不得 | 要不得 | yào bu de | yao4 bu5 de5 | intolerable; unacceptable | | |
| 21 | 要花 | 要花 | yào huā | yao4 hua1 | cost; raise (price); bring (a price) | | |
| 22 | 要谎 | 要謊 | yào huǎng | yao4 huang3 | to ask an enormous price (as first negotiating step) | | |
| 23 | 要不要 | 要不要 | yào bù yào | yao4 bu4 yao4 | whether or not | | |
| 24 | 要件 | 要件 | yào jiàn | yao4 jian4 | key document; important condition; criterion; requirement; requisite; cornerstone | | |
| 25 | 要角 | 要角 | yào jiǎo | yao4 jiao3 | significant role; major figure | | |