<p>In Taiwan, according to dictionary owned by Ministry of Education.</p>
<p><a href="http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?o=dcbdic&amp;searchid=W00000010874" rel="nofollow noreferrer">要</a> can mean:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>需要。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>(Need.)</p>
<blockquote>
<p>即將。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>(Expected to happen in short time.)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T13:36:49.047Z
The example given is [ 需要。如：「我要一枝筆。」 (I need s pen) ] --  a pan is a noun.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T13:00:23.903Z
2020-07-27T22:42:53.637Z
2020-07-27T22:42:53.637Z
000
<blockquote>
<p><em>要；yào；want, want to (想要), <strong>need to</strong> (須要), going to (將要).</em></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p><em>需要；xūyào；<strong>need</strong></em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>We can use 要 instead of 須要 when we want to express <strong>need to + verb</strong>. However, we might not always want to replace 需要 with 要, because the meaning of 需要 is clearer: it always means 'need', while the meaning of 要 might cause confusion, as it can mean 'want to, need to or going to'.</p>
<p>On the other side, we shouldn't use 要 in place of 需要 when we want to express <strong>need + noun</strong>, such as in:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>为什么人类<strong>需要氧气</strong>才能生存?
Why does mankind <strong>need oxygen</strong> to be able to survive?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>氧气 is a noun; '需要氧气' (need oxygen) cannot be changed to 須要氧气 (need to oxygen), 想要氧气 (want to oxygen) or 將要氧气 (going to oxygen).</p>
<p>If the sentence was '須要有氧气' (need to have oxygen), then it can be changed to 要有氧气 because 有 is a verb.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T13:00:22.090Z
That's a fair point! But I'd say the opposite, that is in the original sentence 需要 should be 須要, and that only 需要 can be shorted to 要. Do you have any source to clarify this nuance?
Firmin Martin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T13:01:57.777Z
See https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/28821/difference-between-%e9%a0%88%e8%a6%81-vs-%e9%9c%80%e8%a6%81-and-%e5%98%97%e8%a9%a6-vs-%e8%a9%a6%e8%a9%a6%e7%9c%8b
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T13:47:33.090Z
I know that this is a very tricky question, but is there an authoritative source to support [1] "需要 always followed by a noun" and [2] "須要 always followed by a verb phrase"? For instance, if you check the entry 【须要】in [《现代汉语词典》第7版](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CNMan/XDHYCD7th/master/XDHYCD7th.txt), you obtain 教育儿童**須要**耐心 which contradicts [2].
Firmin Martin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T13:52:25.330Z
有 is implied in "教育儿童須要(有)耐心"
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T13:53:31.070Z
@TangHo Ok, that justifies that 須要 is an auxiliary verb.
Firmin Martin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T13:54:19.043Z
Maybe, the solution is 需要: *to need, need to* and 要: *need to*. When we want to express *need to*, we can use both 需要 and 要?
Puco4
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T14:00:05.120Z
@Puco4 you meant 'we can use either 需要 or 要'? Yes, As long as it is followed by a noun: Example 我需要錢 can be reducted to 我要錢 because 錢 is a noun. But, I prefer the more specific 需要 than just 要 to avoid confusion; Similarly, 須要用錢 can be reducted to 要用錢.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T14:28:49.490Z
@TangHo Don't you mean 'we can use both when they are followed by a verb'? See [this example](https://dict.naver.com/linedict/zhendict/dict.html#/cnen/entry/e46ce10df28943d7b0b986de6f712912): 常人每天**需要吃**一定量的水果和蔬菜; Chángrén měitiān **xūyào chī** yídìngliàng de shuǐguǒ hé shūcài.; Everyone needs to eat a certain amount of fruit and vegetables each day. This could be expressed also with 要 right?
Puco4
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T14:33:12.747Z
I think 吃 is wrongly placed after 需要 in "常人每天需要吃一定量的水果和蔬菜 ". It should be either  "常人每天需要一定分量的水果和蔬菜 " or  more likely "常人每天須要吃一定分量的水果和蔬菜 "
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T14:35:44.973Z
"常人每天需要一定分量的水果和蔬菜"(O) --> "常人每天要一定分量的水果和蔬菜 (X) - confusing
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T14:35:49.403Z
"常人每天須要吃一定分量的水果和蔬菜 " (O) --> "常人每天要吃一定分量的水果和蔬菜 "  (O)
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T14:42:49.463Z
Some other examples of 需要 + verb from Pleco: 
1. **需要买**点儿什么，你看着办吧。*You may buy whatever you need, as you see fit.*
2. 这篇文章**需要润色**一下。*This essay needs polishing.*
3. 根据**需要下调**工作人员。*Transfer staff down according to need.*
Puco4
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T14:52:59.973Z
It seems like some dictionaries are treating 需 and 須 as synonyms.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-27T12:44:54.120Z
2020-07-27T14:23:16.310Z
2020-07-27T14:23:16.310Z
Tang Ho
<p>In an answer to the post <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/q/35916/25265">要 to indicate &quot;will [verb]&quot; vs &quot;need&quot;</a>, it is argued that</p>
<blockquote>
<p>要；yào；<em>want to, need to, going to</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>is actually the short form of either</p>
<blockquote>
<p>需要；xūyào；<em>to need, to want</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>or</p>
<blockquote>
<p>将要；jiāngyào；<em>going to</em>.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>However, in another answer it is said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>We cannot use 要 in place of 需要 here:</p>
</blockquote>
<pre><code>为什么人类需要氧气才能生存?
Why does mankind need oxygen to be able to survive?
</code></pre>
<p><strong>Question:</strong> When can we use 要 to replace 需要? Is there a difference between 需要 and 要 in the sense of <em>need to / want to</em>?</p>

<grammar><usage><difference><verbs>
When can 要 replace 需要?
# When can 要 replace 需要?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-07-27)

In an answer to the post 要 to indicate "will [verb]" vs "need", it is argued that

要；yào；want to, need to, going to

is actually the short form of either

需要；xūyào；to need, to want

or

将要；jiāngyào；going to.

However, in another answer it is said:

We cannot use 要 in place of 需要 here:

为什么人类需要氧气才能生存?
Why does mankind need oxygen to be able to survive?

Question: When can we use 要 to replace 需要? Is there a difference between 需要 and 要 in the sense of need to / want to?

**Tags:** grammar, usage, difference, verbs

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-07-27. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

> *要；yào；want, want to (想要), **need to** (須要), going to (將要).*

> *需要；xūyào；**need***

We can use 要 instead of 須要 when we want to express **need to + verb**. However, we might not always want to replace 需要 with 要, because the meaning of 需要 is clearer: it always means 'need', while the meaning of 要 might cause confusion, as it can mean 'want to, need to or going to'.

On the other side, we shouldn't use 要 in place of 需要 when we want to express **need + noun**, such as in:

> 为什么人类**需要氧气**才能生存?
> Why does mankind **need oxygen** to be able to survive?

氧气 is a noun; '需要氧气' (need oxygen) cannot be changed to 須要氧气 (need to oxygen), 想要氧气 (want to oxygen) or 將要氧气 (going to oxygen).

If the sentence was '須要有氧气' (need to have oxygen), then it can be changed to 要有氧气 because 有 is a verb.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: That's a fair point! But I'd say the opposite, that is in the original sentence 需要 should be 須要, and that only 需要 can be shorted to 要. Do you have any source to clarify this nuance?  
> **username_2**: See https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/28821/difference-between-%e9%a0%88%e8%a6%81-vs-%e9%9c%80%e8%a6%81-and-%e5%98%97%e8%a9%a6-vs-%e8%a9%a6%e8%a9%a6%e7%9c%8b  
> **username_3**: I know that this is a very tricky question, but is there an authoritative source to support [1] "需要 always followed by a noun" and [2] "須要 always followed by a verb phrase"? For instance, if you check the entry 【须要】in [《现代汉语词典》第7版](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CNMan/XDHYCD7th/master/XDHYCD7th.txt), you obtain 教育儿童**須要**耐心 which contradicts [2].  
> **username_2**: 有 is implied in "教育儿童須要(有)耐心"  
> **username_3**: @TangHo Ok, that justifies that 須要 is an auxiliary verb.  
> **username_0**: Maybe, the solution is 需要: *to need, need to* and 要: *need to*. When we want to express *need to*, we can use both 需要 and 要?  
> **username_2**: @Puco4 you meant 'we can use either 需要 or 要'? Yes, As long as it is followed by a noun: Example 我需要錢 can be reducted to 我要錢 because 錢 is a noun. But, I prefer the more specific 需要 than just 要 to avoid confusion; Similarly, 須要用錢 can be reducted to 要用錢.  
> **username_0**: @TangHo Don't you mean 'we can use both when they are followed by a verb'? See [this example](https://dict.naver.com/linedict/zhendict/dict.html#/cnen/entry/e46ce10df28943d7b0b986de6f712912): 常人每天**需要吃**一定量的水果和蔬菜; Chángrén měitiān **xūyào chī** yídìngliàng de shuǐguǒ hé shūcài.; Everyone needs to eat a certain amount of fruit and vegetables each day. This could be expressed also with 要 right?  
> **username_2**: I think 吃 is wrongly placed after 需要 in "常人每天需要吃一定量的水果和蔬菜 ". It should be either  "常人每天需要一定分量的水果和蔬菜 " or  more likely "常人每天須要吃一定分量的水果和蔬菜 "  
> **username_2**: "常人每天需要一定分量的水果和蔬菜"(O) --> "常人每天要一定分量的水果和蔬菜 (X) - confusing  
> **username_2**: "常人每天須要吃一定分量的水果和蔬菜 " (O) --> "常人每天要吃一定分量的水果和蔬菜 "  (O)  
> **username_0**: Some other examples of 需要 + verb from Pleco:  1. **需要买**点儿什么，你看着办吧。*You may buy whatever you need, as you see fit.* 2. 这篇文章**需要润色**一下。*This essay needs polishing.* 3. 根据**需要下调**工作人员。*Transfer staff down according to need.*  
> **username_2**: It seems like some dictionaries are treating 需 and 須 as synonyms.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-07-27. Score: 0

In Taiwan, according to dictionary owned by Ministry of Education.

[要](http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?o=dcbdic&searchid=W00000010874) can mean:

> 需要。

(Need.)

> 即將。

(Expected to happen in short time.)

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: The example given is [ 需要。如：「我要一枝筆。」 (I need s pen) ] --  a pan is a noun.  

---

