Meaning of 应当
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- should; ought to
How to use 应当
应当 is placed before a verb to say what someone should do. It means almost the same as 应该 but sounds a little more formal, so it is common in writing, rules and advice. Example: 我们应当遵守交通规则。(Wǒmen yīngdāng zūnshǒu jiāotōng guīzé.) We should obey traffic rules.
Both halves of 应当 (yīngdāng) carry the idea of what is fitting. 应 (yīng) as in 应该 (yīnggāi) means "should," and 当 (dāng) as in 当然 (dāngrán) means "as it should be," so together they mean "ought to."
Common mistake: Learners often read 应 with the fourth tone, yìng, because they know 反应 (fǎnyìng) and 答应 (dāying). In 应当 and 应该 it is first tone, yīng. Also keep 当 in the first tone, dāng, not dàng.
应当 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
应 yīng · to agree · 7 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
当 dāng · to be · 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Related words
Words that share a character with 应当.
| 应该 | yīnggāi | ought to; should; must |
| 当时 | dāngshí | then; at that time |
| 答应 | dāying | to answer; to respond; to answer positively; to agree; to accept; to promise |
| 当然 | dāngrán | only natural; as it should be |
| 相当 | xiāngdāng | equivalent to; appropriate |
| 反应 | fǎnyìng | to react; to respond |
| 当中 | dāngzhōng | among; in the middle |
| 当地 | dāngdì | local |
| 当初 | dāngchū | at that time; originally |
| 适应 | shìyìng | to adapt; to fit |
| 应用 | yìngyòng | to put to use; to apply; practical; applied (science, linguistics etc) |
| 供应 | gōngyìng | to supply; to provide (goods, services etc) |
Questions about 应当
What does 应当 mean?
应当 (yīngdāng) means "should; ought to" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 应当?
应当 is made of 2 characters: 应 (7 strokes), 当 (6 strokes). That is 13 strokes in total.
Is 应当 an HSK word?
Yes. 应当 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 应当 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 应当 is written 應當.
What is the difference between 应当 and 应该?
They mean the same thing: should or ought to. 应该 is more common in everyday speech, while 应当 sounds more formal and appears more in written Chinese and official language.
How do I say "should not" with 应当?
Put 不 in front: 不应当 (bù yīngdāng). For example, 你不应当这样说。(Nǐ bù yīngdāng zhèyàng shuō.) You should not talk like that.