'要约' (yāo yuē) is a formal legal term meaning 'offer' — specifically, a clear, definite proposal made by one party to another with the intention that it will become legally binding upon acceptance. The character 要 (yāo) here carries its less common reading and meaning of 'to demand' or 'to require', while 约 (yuē) means 'agreement' or 'contract'. Together, they convey the idea of a binding proposal that initiates contractual formation under Chinese civil law.

This term appears almost exclusively in legal, commercial, and regulatory contexts — such as contract law textbooks, tender documents, or court judgments — and is never used in everyday conversation. It is distinct from casual uses of 'offer' in English (e.g., 'a special offer at the store'), which would be translated as 优惠 (yōuhuì) or 提议 (tíyì). Understanding 要约 requires recognizing its strict technical definition: it must include essential terms (e.g., subject matter, quantity, price) and demonstrate the offeror’s intent to be bound.