要害

yàohài

noun HSK 7 #8,848

Meanings

1 vital point; crucial spot
2 key part; strategic point

Characters

important; vital

Literally 'important harm' — the spot where harm would be most critical.

Examples

一拳打在了要害部位。

Yī quán dǎ zài le yàohài bùwèi.

The punch hit a vital spot.

他说话总能说到要害。

Tā shuōhuà zǒng néng shuō dào yàohài.

He always gets right to the crucial point when he speaks.

这个问题的要害在于资金不足。

Zhège wèntí de yàohài zàiyú zījīn bùzú.

The crux of this problem is insufficient funding.

Tips

usage

要害 is used both literally (vital spot on the body, as in martial arts) and figuratively (the heart of a problem, a strategic location). In military contexts, 要害之地 means a strategically critical area.

Stroke Order

要 yào

害 hài