要 yào
- Strokes
- 9
- Radical
- 覀 — west, western, westward
- Made of
- 覀 west, western, westward 女 woman, girl
- How it's built
- Ideograph — the meaning is built from its parts
要命
yàomìng
fatal; to cost someone their life
Characters in this word
命 mìng
- Strokes
- 8
- Radical
- 口 — mouth
- How it's built
- Ideograph — the meaning is built from its parts
Example phrases
- 过量用药可能要命，医师反复提醒他不要擅自加大剂量。 Guòliàng yòngyào kěnéng yàomìng, yīshī fǎnfù tíxǐng tā bùyào shànzì jiādà jìliàng. Excessive medication can be fatal, so the doctor repeatedly reminded him not to increase the dose without permission.
- 这种蛇的毒液能要命，遇到时千万不要靠近。 Zhè zhǒng shé de dúyè néng yàomìng, yùdào shí qiānwàn bú yào kàojìn. The venom of this snake can kill, so never go near it when you come across one.
- 今天热得要命，我们回家吹空调吧。 Jīntiān rè de yàomìng, wǒmen huí jiā chuī kōngtiáo ba. It's unbearably hot today; let's go home and enjoy the air conditioning.