Chinese–EnglishWith examples

关键

guān jiàn · guan jian

Traditional 關鍵

HSK 5Old HSK 4Measure word: 个 gè

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. crucial point
  2. crux
  3. key
  4. crucial
  5. pivotal
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In a conversation

0:19 cartoon

The key to braised pork

  1. Dengdeng

    做(zuò)红烧肉(hóngshāoròu)，最(zuì)关键(guānjiàn)的(de)是(shì)什么(shénme)？

    When making braised pork, what is the key?

  2. Liangliang

    关键(guānjiàn)是(shì)糖(táng)，要(yào)放(fàng)得(de)少(shǎo)一点(yīdiǎn)。

    The key is sugar. Put in a bit less.

  3. Dengdeng

    不对(bùduì)，关键(guānjiàn)是(shì)火(huǒ)，火(huǒ)要(yào)小(xiǎo)。

    No, the key is the heat. It must be low.

  4. Liangliang

    那(nà)糖(táng)就(jiù)不(bù)关键(guānjiàn)了(le)吗(ma)？

    So sugar isn't key then?

  5. Dengdeng

    糖(táng)和(hé)火(huǒ)都(dōu)很(hěn)关键(guānjiàn)，可是(kěshì)最(zuì)关键(guānjiàn)的(de)是(shì)肉(ròu)。

    Sugar and heat both matter, but the most important is the meat.

  6. Liangliang

    啊(a)！我们(wǒmen)忘(wàng)了(le)买(mǎi)肉(ròu)！

    Ah! We forgot to buy meat!

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

就(jiù)像(xiàng)你(nǐ)们(men)知(zhī)道(dào)的(de)那(nà)样(yàng)，毅(yì)力(lì)是(shì)成(chéng)功(gōng)的(de)关(guān)键(jiàn)。

Perseverance, as you know, is the key to success.

Tatoeba: Chinese by fucongcong · English by Zifre · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

关(guān)键(jiàn)不(bú)在(zài)穿(chuān)什(shén)么(me)，而(ér)是(shì)怎(zěn)么(me)穿(chuān)。

It's not what you wear, it's how you wear it.

Tatoeba: Chinese by zhouj1955 · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

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How to write

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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