重要 (zhòngyào) — important
HSK 3 | adjective | of great significance or consequence; not to be overlooked
重要 (zhòngyào)
重要 is one of the most common adjectives in Chinese, meaning "important" or "significant." It describes anything that carries weight or consequence — a task, a person, a date, a decision. It can modify a noun (重要的事 — an important thing) or follow a verb (很重要 — very important).
Meanings
- [adjective] Important; significant; essential; of great consequence.
Example Sentences
健康是最重要的事情。 Jiànkāng shì zuì zhòngyào de shìqíng. Health is the most important thing.
这次考试非常重要，你一定要认真准备。 Zhè cì kǎoshì fēicháng zhòngyào, nǐ yīdìng yào rènzhēn zhǔnbèi. This exam is very important; you must prepare carefully.
他在公司里扮演着重要的角色。 Tā zài gōngsī lǐ bànyǎn zhe zhòngyào de juésè. He plays an important role in the company.
有一件重要的事情要告诉你。 Yǒu yī jiàn zhòngyào de shìqíng yào gàosù nǐ. There is an important matter I need to tell you.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 非常重要 | very important |
| 最重要 | the most important |
| 重要的事 | an important thing |
| 重要会议 | important meeting |
| 至关重要 | of crucial importance |
Memory Hook
重 means "heavy / weighty" and 要 means "to want / need / be necessary." Something 重要 is heavy with necessity — it is weighty and needed, so you cannot ignore it.