Dynamic characteristics have an important impact on the reliability of computer numerical control (CNC) machine tool. As the basis of dynamic characteristics analysis, the modal analysis should be conducted. However, the current modal analysis methods have some shortcomings. For example, the selected research object cannot reflect the dynamic characteristics of the CNC machine tool, the selection of research object lacks a scientific basis, and the influence of coupling factors is also often ignored. To address these problems, the concepts of meta-action failure mode and the latest research results about meta-action were given herein. Meta-action unit is the smallest structural unit to ensure the normal operation of the machine tool, and it can fully reflect the dynamic characteristics of a machine tool, so it is taken as the research object. In order to reduce the blindness of selecting the analytic object when implementing the reliability improvement measures, we put forward the concept of a key meta-action unit and gave the corresponding extraction method. Meanwhile, electromechanical coupling was considered when built the dynamic model of a key meta-action unit. A CNC machine tool made in China was taken as an example, and a key meta-action unit was extracted and analyzed, then the corresponding reliability improvement measures were also given. The results verify the applicability and effectiveness of this method. The proposed method can solve the shortcomings of the current methods, which lays a foundation for further research of mechanical properties and reliability based on machine tool meta-action unit. INDEX TERMS CNC machine tool, modal analysis, failure mode, reliability, key meta-action unit.