Kanji N3

要: need, main point, essence

要 is a JLPT N3 kanji meaning need, main point, essence, written with 9 strokes. It is read ヨウ (on) and いる, かなめ (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 4. You will see it in 重要 (じゅうよう, important) and 必要 (ひつよう, necessary).

要

Meanings

  • need
  • main point
  • essence
  • pivot
  • key to
Strokes9
JLPT levelN3
School gradeGrade 4
Frequency#106 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • ヨウ

On'yomi: from Chinese, written in katakana. Used in compound words.

Kun reading
  • いる
  • かなめ

Kun'yomi: native Japanese, in hiragana. The faint part is the okurigana, written in kana after the kanji.

Watch the stroke order

Every stroke in order, the live one in vermilion. Replay as often as you like.

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Now draw it

Trace each stroke in order. Wrong direction or wrong order gets flagged right away.

1234567890 / 9

Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 9. Start at the dot.

Common words with 要

The most useful words written with it, easiest first. Every other kanji in them opens its own page.

  • 重要じゅうよう

    important; essential; significant; major; key

    JLPT N3
  • 必要ひつよう

    necessary; needed; essential; indispensable

    JLPT N4
  • 要求ようきゅう

    demand; firm request; requisition; requirement

    JLPT N3
  • 主要しゅよう

    chief; main; principal; major

    JLPT N3
  • 需要じゅよう

    demand; need

    JLPT N3
  • 要するにようするに

    in short; in a word; to sum up; to put it simply

    JLPT N3
  • 要素ようそ

    element; component; factor; item (e.g. in list)

    JLPT N3
  • 要点ようてん

    gist; main point

    JLPT N3

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Stroke order from KanjiVG © Ulrich Apel, CC BY-SA 3.0. Readings, meanings and words from KANJIDIC2 and JMdict, names from JMnedict, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0, and Wikidata, CC0; the Spanish meanings they lack, translated by Naraio from their English, are shared under the same licence. Example sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR. JLPT lists after Jonathan Waller (tanos.co.uk), CC BY. Sentences split into words with IPADIC © NAIST and IPA, through Lindera.