关键 guān jiàn
“crucial point; crux; key”
noun, adjectiveHSK 4 · 2021 list level 5Traditional 關鍵Measure word 个
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
关键 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 1269: 关键 guānjiàn — Level 4; official annotation 4 (名、形). PDF page 111
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 关键
关键 means "key point/crux" as a noun and "key/crucial" as an adjective. It is used for the decisive factor in a situation, often in patterns like 是……的关键, 关键在于……, 很关键, and 最关键的是…….
例句Example sentences
- 这次面试很关键，你要好好准备。zhè cì miàn shì hěn guān jiàn, nǐ yào hǎo hǎo zhǔn bèi.This interview is crucial; you need to prepare well.
- 学好一门外语，关键是多听多说。xué hǎo yì mén wài yǔ, guān jiàn shì duō tīng duō shuō.To learn a foreign language well, the key is to listen and speak more.
- 现在最关键的是先找到问题。xiàn zài zuì guān jiàn de shì xiān zhǎo dào wèn tí.The most important thing now is to find the problem first.
常见错误Common mistakes
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✗成功关键于努力。
✓成功的关键在于努力。
关键 is a noun/adjective, not a verb; use 关键在于 to mean "the key lies in."