必须 (bì xū) — to have to in Mandarin
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#161 most common word · HSK 3 · CEFR B1
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
必须 is pronounced bì xū. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Nǐ bìxū nǔlì xuéxí.
You must study hard.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 必须 mean?+
必须 (bì xū) means "to have to" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 必须?+
必须 is pronounced bì xū. It uses the tone 4 (falling), then the tone 1 (high flat). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 必须 in Mandarin?+
必须 is the #161 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 必须 fits
Every HSK 3 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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