必要 (bì yào) — necessary in Mandarin
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#1000 most common word · HSK 5 · CEFR B2
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
必要 is pronounced bì yào. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
dìngqī yùndòng duì jiànkāng shì bìyào de.
Regular exercise is necessary for health.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 必要 mean?+
必要 (bì yào) means "necessary" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 必要?+
必要 is pronounced bì yào. It uses the tone 4 (falling). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 必要 in Mandarin?+
必要 is the #1000 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 必要 fits
Every HSK 5 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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