How to say “should” in Chinese
should (lit.)
“Should” in Chinese is 应当, yīng dāng: the meaning, a recording of how it sounds, the characters stroke by stroke and examples.
How to pronounce it
应当 is read yīng dāng: 2 syllables. The tone is part of the word: with another melody you get another word, or just a jumble of sounds.
How to write it
On top, 广 “shelter”. Its second reading is yìng, “respond”.
当然 — “it must be so”, that is, of course.
Strokes go in order: top to bottom and left to right, horizontal before vertical. Tap a character to open its page, with the strokes shown large and the words it appears in. To train your hand, print a handwriting sheet for “应当”.
Examples
Sentences from the course lessons with 应当. Tap the sound icon to listen.
- 全社会都应当关爱老人和儿童。quánshèhuìdōuyīngdāngguān’àilǎorénhéértóngAll of society should lovingly care for the elderly and children.
- 这种药应当在饭后服用。zhèzhǒngyàoyīngdāngzàifànhòufúyòngThis medicine should be taken after meals.
- 公司应当补偿客户的损失gōngsīyīngdāngbǔchángkèhùdesǔnshīThe company should compensate its customers for their losses.
- 我们应当通过合法途径解决纠纷wǒmenyīngdāngtōngguòhéfǎtújìngjiějuéjiūfēnWe should resolve disputes through legal channels.
- 在正式场合，应当穿西装。zàizhèngshìchǎnghé,yīngdāngchuānxīzhuāngOn formal occasions you should wear a suit.
More words from the lesson “Even if, and the opposite”
Look up another word in the Chinese–English dictionary: in English, in pinyin or in characters.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “should” in Chinese?
“Should” in Chinese is 应当, pinyin yīngdāng.
What does 应当 mean?
应当 (yīngdāng) means “should (lit.)”.
How do you write 应当?
应当 is 2 characters: 应 (yīng) — should, ought to; 当 (dāng) — serve as; when. The stroke order of each one is shown step by step on this page.
How do you pronounce 应当?
应当 is read yīngdāng. Tones: yīng — first tone, dāng — first tone. The page has a native speaker recording.
“should” in the lesson “Even if, and the opposite”
This word is from the topic “Linking ideas” of HSK 5. In the lesson you hear it in a dialogue, build a sentence with it and say it out loud. Start for free, no sign-up needed.
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