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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'need' with 需要 (xūyào)

    Obligation & Necessity

    Structure

    Subject + 需要 + Verb / Noun

    Explanation

    需要 (xūyào) means "to need" or "to require," and is one of the most common ways to express necessity in Chinese. It can function as both a verb and a noun. As a verb, it is followed directly by a noun or verb phrase indicating what is needed.

    Examples

    • 我需要再想想这个问题。

      wǒ xūyào zài xiǎngxiǎng zhège wèntí.

      I need to think about this problem some more.

    • 这个项目需要大量资金。

      zhège xiàngmù xūyào dàliàng zījīn.

      This project requires a large amount of funding.

    • 你需要带护照才能办理登记。

      nǐ xūyào dài hùzhào cáinéng bànlǐ dēngjì.

      You need to bring your passport to complete the registration.

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