关键guān jiàncrucial point; crux

1. 1.

   crucial point; cruxnoun

2. 2.

   key; crucial; pivotaladjective

• 关not compositional here
• 键linchpin

关键是 + clause can introduce what matters most, as in 关键是你想不想去.

1. HSK 5

   这是问题的关键。

   Zhè shì wèntí de guānjiàn.

   This is the crux of the problem.

2. HSK 5

   关键是你想不想去。

   Guānjiàn shì nǐ xiǎng bu xiǎng qù.

   The key is whether you want to go.

3. HSK 5

   这次考试很关键。

   Zhè cì kǎoshì hěn guānjiàn.

   This exam is crucial.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   我想学好中文，怎么办？

   Wǒ xiǎng xuéhǎo Zhōngwén, zěnme bàn?

   I want to learn Chinese well. What should I do?

2. 
   Speaker B:

   关键是每天都练习。

   Guānjiàn shì měi tiān dōu liànxí.

   The key is to practice every day.

3. 
   Speaker A:

   每天要练习多长时间？

   Měi tiān yào liànxí duō cháng shíjiān?

   How long should I practice each day?

4. 
   Speaker B:

   半个小时就可以。

   Bàn ge xiǎoshí jiù kěyǐ.

   Half an hour is enough.

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Related words

• 关系guān xìrelation; relationshipHSK 3
• 关guānto close; to shut; to turn offHSK 3
• 关于guān yúconcerningHSK 3
• 关心guān xīnto be concerned about; to care aboutHSK 3
• 有关yǒu guānto have sth to do with; to relate to; related toHSK 3
• 没关系méi guān xiit doesn't matterHSK 1

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