Ideograph 要

The language and surrounding words decide the meaning. In Mandarin, “want to leave” and “must leave” are different possible readings, not interchangeable translations.

In Japanese, 要る (iru, written いる in hiragana, Japan’s phonetic script) means “be needed.” Words containing 要 can also concern importance or a key point. Do not use the Mandarin pronunciation yào when reading Japanese.

What does 要 mean in a message?

Check what follows 要 and who the sentence concerns. In Chinese, a following thing suggests wanting or needing it; an action allows desire, intention, obligation, or something about to happen. Position alone does not settle the translation.

For a lone 要, look back at your question: it may supply the missing object or action. If the reference or language remains unclear, ask what the sender means.

Why does 要 look different?

Fonts can change the drawing without changing the character. Fonts for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean follow regional and typographic conventions. A different stroke shape does not by itself mean your 要 became another character.