对…至关重要
to be crucial to; to be of the utmost importance for
Structure
甲 对 乙 （来说） 至关重要 ； 对 乙 至关重要 的 名词
What it means
至 'utmost' + 关 'bearing on': 至关重要 already means 'of the utmost importance', 'crucial'.
How it is built
A + 对 + B (来说) + 至关重要, or 至关重要的 + noun: 水位的涨落对候鸟至关重要 (The rise and fall of the water is crucial to the migrating birds); 起着至关重要的作用.
When to use it
Formal; in speech say 对…特别重要. Much stronger than 很重要. The one it matters to comes after 对 or 对…来说, not after 给 or 把.
Watch out
No degree adverb: ✗很至关重要 ✓至关重要 (also no 非常 or 十分). It is not normally negated.
Examples
水位的涨落对候鸟至关重要。
The rise and fall of the water is crucial to the migrating birds.
对一家小公司来说，第一批客户的口碑至关重要。
For a small company, what its first customers say about it matters enormously.
这次谈判对两国关系至关重要。
These talks are vital for relations between the two countries.
Learn this in Lesson 168 · HSK 7–9: 鄱阳湖的候鸟 (The winter birds of Poyang Lake)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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