关键 (guān jiàn) — crucial point in Mandarin
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#1026 most common word · HSK 4 · CEFR B1
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
关键 is pronounced guān jiàn. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Chéngshí shì chénggōng de guānjiàn.
Honesty is the key to success.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 关键 mean?+
关键 (guān jiàn) means "crucial point" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 关键?+
关键 is pronounced guān jiàn. It uses the tone 1 (high flat), then the tone 4 (falling). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 关键 in Mandarin?+
关键 is the #1026 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 关键 fits
Every HSK 4 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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