HSK 3
能愿动词：需要
néng yuàn dòng cí ： xū yào
Modal verb: 需要 (to need)
Explanation
需要 (xūyào) is a modal verb (a modal verb like 会, 能, 想... placed before the main verb), meaning "to need / to have to", expressing that something is necessary. It is placed before the main verb or before a noun (to need something).
Subject (the person or thing performing, at the start of the sentence) + 需要 (xūyào) + verb / noun. Negative: Subject + 不 (bù) + 需要 + verb / noun.
when you want to say that someone "needs" to do something or "needs" something, e.g. 需要休息 (need to rest), 需要帮助 (need help). The negative 不需要 means "do not need".
Vietnamese learners often place the negation wrongly as 需要不; correctly it should be 不需要 (bù xūyào) with 不 before 需要. Also do not confuse 需要 with 想 (xiǎng, to want): 需要 emphasizes necessity, while 想 only indicates desire.
Examples
She is sick and needs to rest.
We don't need to buy food; there's plenty at home.
Practice
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Learn “能愿动词：需要” effectively
The grammar point “能愿动词：需要” (Modal verb: 需要 (to need)) is one of the key structures at HSK 3. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
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