应当 (yīng dāng) — should; ought to | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

应当 is the formal, written counterpart of 应该 — same 'should / ought to' meaning, but more often in writing, announcements, or official contexts.

verb

shouldought to

应当。
Nǐ yīng dāng zǎo yì diǎn xiū xi.
You should rest a little earlier.
应当。
Wǒ men yīng dāng hù xiāng bāng zhù.
We should help each other.
应当。
Tā yīng dāng wèi zì jǐ de xíng wéi fù zé.
He should take responsibility for his own actions.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

应 and 当 both express obligation, together mean should.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 應; 应 is its simplified writing.

䧹心應

Meaning part形符xíngfú

心心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

䧹

䧹䧹應yìng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 應 pairs 心 (heart) with 䧹 as a sound part; the simplified 应 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the original components.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 當; 当 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

尚

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 當 combines 田 (field) with 尚; the evidence describes fields facing each other.

Appears in