应 meaning and stroke order
To agree (to do sth); should; ought to
How to write 应, stroke by stroke
7 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Meaning of 应
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to agree (to do sth)
- should
- ought to
- must
- (legal) shall
- to answer
- to respond
- to comply with
- to deal or cope with
How 应 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 广 (broad), shared by 60 characters on this site.
How to remember 应
Under the roof of 广 (a shelter), the little marks ⺍ sit on a single line 一, like people standing in a row ready to respond. When someone calls, everyone under that roof should answer.
With the first tone yīng, it means "should" and appears mostly in 应该 (yīnggāi) and 应当 (yīngdāng). With the fourth tone yìng, it means to respond or deal with, as in 反应 (fǎnyìng), 适应 (shìyìng) and 应用 (yìngyòng). Example: 你应该早点睡觉。(Nǐ yīnggāi zǎodiǎn shuìjiào.) You should go to bed earlier.
Common mistake: Learners often read every 应 as yīng, but in words like 反应 (fǎnyìng), 适应 (shìyìng) and 供应 (gōngyìng) it is fourth tone yìng. Also note that in 答应 (dāying) the second syllable is usually said in the neutral tone.
Common words with 应
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 应该 | yīnggāi | ought to; should; must | HSK 2 |
| 答应 | dāying | to answer; to respond; to answer positively; to agree; to accept; to promise | HSK 2 |
| 反应 | fǎnyìng | to react; to respond | HSK 3 |
| 适应 | shìyìng | to adapt; to fit | HSK 3 |
| 应当 | yīngdāng | should; ought to | HSK 3 |
| 应用 | yìngyòng | to put to use; to apply; practical; applied (science, linguistics etc) | HSK 3 |
| 供应 | gōngyìng | to supply; to provide (goods, services etc) | HSK 4 |
| 相应 | xiāngyìng | to correspond; answering (one another) | HSK 5 |
| 对应 | duìyìng | to correspond (to); to be equivalent to; to be a counterpart to | HSK 5 |
| 回应 | huíyìng | to respond; response | HSK 6 |
| 应对 | yìngduì | to answer; to reply; to handle; to deal with | HSK 6 |
| 应急 | yìngjí | to respond to an emergency; to meet a contingency | HSK 6 |
| 应付 | yìngfu | to deal with; to cope | HSK 7-9 |
| 响应 | xiǎngyìng | to respond to; answer | HSK 7-9 |
应 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 应
How many strokes are in 应?
应 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 应 mean?
应 (yīng) means to agree (to do sth); should; ought to. A common word with it is 应该 (yīnggāi), meaning "ought to; should; must".
How do you pronounce 应?
应 is pronounced yīng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 应?
The radical of 应 is 广, which carries the idea of "broad". Dictionaries list 应 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 应?
The traditional form of 应 is 應. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 应 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 应 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 应 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
How do I know whether 应 is yīng or yìng?
Use yīng when the meaning is "should" or "agree," as in 应该 and 应当. Use yìng when the meaning is responding, coping or applying, as in 反应, 适应 and 应用. Learning it word by word is the most reliable way.
What is the difference between 应该 and 应当?
Both mean "should" or "ought to." 应该 (yīnggāi) is the everyday choice in speech. 应当 (yīngdāng) sounds a bit more formal and shows up more in writing and official language.