首要

shǒu yào

HSK 2.0 Level 6 HSK 3.0 Level 6 Adjective Uncommon

Definitions

1. the most important
2. of chief importance

Word relationships

Related words

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• 主要 zhǔ yào 主要 zhǔ yào main 首要 emphasizes primacy in importance, while 主要 means main or principal, which can refer to the largest part without the same level of priority.: main

Synonyms

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• 重要 zhòng yào 重要 zhòng yào important 首要 means primary in importance, often used in formal contexts to indicate the top priority, while 重要 simply means important.: important

Usage notes

Collocations

首要 often precedes words like 任务 (task) or 目标 (goal) in formal contexts, e.g., 首要任务是...

Formality

首要 is a formal adjective; in casual speech, use 最重要 instead.

Example Sentences

1 shown

我们的 首要 任务是保护环境。

Our primary task is to protect the environment.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 首要

• 要 要 yāo: (bound form) to demand; to coerce
• 要 要 yào: to want; to need; to ask for
• 首 首 shǒu: head