要 means “need, essential”

よう · you

Also: main point, essence, pivot

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

いる, かなめ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ヨウ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 4 · 9 strokes

The story

A woman (女) standing hands on hips: 要 first meant the waist, the hinge the whole body turns on, a sense now written 腰. So it became the vital point: 必要 is necessary, 重要 is important, and 要る is to need.

Used in 必要 (hitsuyou, necessary), 重要 (juuyou, important), and 要る (iru, to need)

More from Cause & Reason

• 直 straight
• 果 fruit
• 必 certain
• 無 nothing
• 常 usual
• 由 reason
• 例 example
• 然 so
• 限 limit
• 非 not
• 完 complete
• 因 cause

Learn 要 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.