当 meaning and stroke order
To be; to act as; manage
How to write 当, stroke by stroke
6 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
Meaning of 当
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (onom.) dong
- ding dong (bell)
- to be
- to act as
- manage
- withstand
- at or in the very same...
- suitable
- adequate
- fitting
- proper
- to replace
How 当 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: ⺌ (), shared by 4 characters on this site.
How to remember 当
The top part ⺌ looks like little sparks or rays, and 彐 below looks like a hand or a broom. Picture a hand stepping up under a light to take on a role, which links to the meaning "to act as" in 当 (dāng).
当 (dāng) appears in many everyday words such as 当然 (dāngrán, of course) and 当时 (dāngshí, at that time). As a verb it means "to work as" or "to serve as." Example: 我想当老师。(Wǒ xiǎng dāng lǎoshī.) I want to be a teacher.
Common mistake: Learners often forget that 当 has a fourth tone reading, dàng, as in 上当 (shàngdàng, to be fooled) and 恰当 (qiàdàng, appropriate). Also do not confuse the bottom 彐 with 日, since 彐 has no stroke closing the left side.
Common words with 当
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 当时 | dāngshí | then; at that time | HSK 2 |
| 当然 | dāngrán | only natural; as it should be | HSK 3 |
| 相当 | xiāngdāng | equivalent to; appropriate | HSK 3 |
| 当中 | dāngzhōng | among; in the middle | HSK 3 |
| 当地 | dāngdì | local | HSK 3 |
| 当初 | dāngchū | at that time; originally | HSK 3 |
| 应当 | yīngdāng | should; ought to | HSK 3 |
| 当年 | dāngnián | in those days; back then; in those years; to be in the prime of life | HSK 5 |
| 当场 | dāngchǎng | at the scene; on the spot | HSK 5 |
| 当选 | dāngxuǎn | to be elected; to be selected | HSK 5 |
| 当前 | dāngqián | the present time; to be faced with | HSK 5 |
| 当代 | dāngdài | the present age; the contemporary era | HSK 5 |
| 不敢当 | bùgǎndāng | lit. I dare not (accept the honor); fig. I don't deserve your praise; you flatter me | HSK 5 |
| 当成 | dàngchéng | to consider as; to take to be | HSK 6 |
当 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 当
Learning 当 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 当
How many strokes are in 当?
当 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 当 mean?
当 (dāng) means to be; to act as; manage. A common word with it is 当时 (dāngshí), meaning "then; at that time".
How do you pronounce 当?
当 is pronounced dāng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 当?
The radical of 当 is ⺌. Dictionaries list 当 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 当?
The traditional form of 当 is 噹 and 當. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 当 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 当 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 当 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 say "when" with 当?
Use the pattern 当...的时候 (dāng... de shíhou). For example, 当我回家的时候 (dāng wǒ huí jiā de shíhou) means "when I got home."
What is the difference between 当 (dāng) and 是 (shì) for "to be"?
是 (shì) simply links two things, as in 他是老师 (He is a teacher). 当 (dāng) stresses taking on or working in a role, as in 他当了老师 (He became a teacher).