Chinese word

要素

Pronunciation

Pinyinyào sù

Meaning

  • nounelement

Example

信任是合作的重要要素。xìn rèn shì hé zuò de zhòng yào yào sù

Trust is an important element of cooperation.

Illustration for 要素 (element)

More examples

安全性是产品设计的关键要素。ān quán xìng shì chán pǐn shè jì de guān jiàn yào sù

Safety is a key element of product design.

Core concept

A building block that helps a whole take shape or an outcome emerge.

Common phrases

  • 组成要素zǔ chéng yào sù

    component

  • 关键要素guān jiàn yào sù

    key element

  • 必要要素bì yào yào sù

    necessary element

Similar words

因素yīn sù: A cause or condition that influences a result or situation.
成分chéng fèn: A substance contained in and helping make up something.
部分bù fèn: A distinct unit or section of a divided whole.

Definition in Chinese

指构成整体的各个部分，或导致某种结果的要因或成分。zhǐ gòu chéng zhéng tǐ de gè gè bù fèn huò dǎo zhì móu zhǒng jié guǒ de yào yīn huò chéng fèn

Word origin

要 (yào, "important or necessary") + 素 (sù, "basic substance") combines the ideas of importance and basic material into a term for a fundamental part or contributing condition.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may expect this noun to name a physical part, but Chinese also uses it for an abstract condition that helps produce an outcome.

Other meanings

  • factornoun
  • componentnoun
  • ingredientnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word