當 meaning and stroke order
Appropriate, timely; to act, to serve; the sound of bells
How to write 當, stroke by stroke
13 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 當
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to be
- to act as
- manage
- withstand
- when
- during
- at or in the very same...
- suitable
- adequate
- fitting
- proper
- to replace
How 當 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Field.
田 gives the meaning and 尚 hints at the sound.
Radical: 田 (field), shared by 46 characters on this site.
How to remember 當
當 is built from 尚 (shàng) on top, which gives the sound, and 田 (tián, field) below, which gives the meaning. Picture two fields that match each other in value, so one is equal to or suitable for the other, which leads to ideas like "fitting" and "to act as."
當 is the traditional form of 当 and is common in words about time and roles, such as 當時 (dāngshí, at that time) and 當然 (dāngrán, of course). As a verb it means "to work as" or "to serve as." Example: 我想當老師。(Wǒ xiǎng dāng lǎoshī.) I want to be a teacher.
Common mistake: Learners often read every 當 as dāng, but in some words it is fourth tone dàng, as in 上當 (shàngdàng, to be fooled) and 恰當 (qiàdàng, appropriate). Also do not confuse the top part 尚 with 常 (cháng), which has 巾 at the bottom instead of 田.
Common words with 當
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 當時 | dāngshí | then; at that time | HSK 2 |
| 當然 | dāngrán | only natural; as it should be | HSK 3 |
| 相當 | xiāngdāng | equivalent to; appropriate | HSK 3 |
| 當中 | dāngzhōng | among; in the middle | HSK 3 |
| 當地 | dāngdì | local | HSK 3 |
| 當初 | dāngchū | at that time; originally | HSK 3 |
| 應當 | yīngdāng | should; ought to | HSK 3 |
| 當年 | dāngnián | in those days; back then; in those years; to be in the prime of life | HSK 5 |
| 當場 | dāngchǎng | at the scene; on the spot | HSK 5 |
| 當選 | dāngxuǎn | to be elected; to be selected | HSK 5 |
| 當前 | dāngqián | the present time; to be faced with | HSK 5 |
| 當代 | dāngdài | the present age; the contemporary era | HSK 5 |
| 不敢當 | bùgǎndāng | lit. I dare not (accept the honor); fig. I don't deserve your praise; you flatter me | HSK 5 |
| 當成 | dàngchéng | to consider as; to take to be | HSK 6 |
Characters that contain 當
Learning 當 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 當
How many strokes are in 當?
當 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 當 mean?
當 (dāng) means appropriate, timely; to act, to serve; the sound of bells. A common word with it is 当时 (dāngshí), meaning "then; at that time".
How do you pronounce 當?
當 is pronounced dāng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 當?
The radical of 當 is 田, which carries the idea of "field". Dictionaries list 當 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 當?
當 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 当, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 當 and 当?
They are the same character with the same meanings and pronunciations. 當 is used in traditional Chinese, for example in Taiwan and Hong Kong, while 当 is the simplified form used in mainland China.
How do you say "when" using 當?
Use the pattern 當……的時候 (dāng... de shíhou). For example, 當我回家的時候，他在睡覺。(Dāng wǒ huí jiā de shíhou, tā zài shuìjiào.) When I got home, he was sleeping.