How to say “primary” in Chinese
primary, foremost
“Primary” in Chinese is 首要, shǒu yào: the meaning, a recording of how it sounds, the characters stroke by stroke and examples.
How to pronounce it
首要 is read shǒu yào: 2 syllables. The tone is part of the word: with another melody you get another word, or just a jumble of sounds.
How to write it
A drawing of a head with hair. It's also the measure word for songs and poems.
Below, 女 “woman”.
Strokes go in order: top to bottom and left to right, horizontal before vertical. Tap a character to open its page, with the strokes shown large and the words it appears in. To train your hand, print a handwriting sheet for “首要”.
Examples
Sentences from the course lessons with 首要. Tap the sound icon to listen.
- 保证乘客安全是我们的首要任务。bǎozhèngchéngkèānquánshìwǒmendeshǒuyàorènwuEnsuring passenger safety is our top priority.
More words from the lesson “The main and the urgent”
Look up another word in the Chinese–English dictionary: in English, in pinyin or in characters.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “primary” in Chinese?
“Primary” in Chinese is 首要, pinyin shǒuyào.
What does 首要 mean?
首要 (shǒuyào) means “primary, foremost”.
How do you write 首要?
首要 is 2 characters: 首 (shǒu) — head; first, chief; 要 (yào) — want; need. The stroke order of each one is shown step by step on this page.
How do you pronounce 首要?
首要 is read shǒuyào. Tones: shǒu — third tone, yào — fourth tone. The page has a native speaker recording.
“primary” in the lesson “The main and the urgent”
This word is from the topic “Judgments and extremes” of HSK 6. In the lesson you hear it in a dialogue, build a sentence with it and say it out loud. Start for free, no sign-up needed.
Start for free