当做 (dàng zuò) — to treat as, to regard as, to look upon as | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

当做 is a verb meaning 'to treat as / regard as,' built from 当 'to be' + 做 'to do.' It is interchangeable with 看作 but more colloquial, while 视为 is the formal, written equivalent.

verb

to treat asto regard asto look upon as

Examples

当做。
Wǒ yì zhí bǎ tā dàng zuò zuì hǎo de péng you.
I have always regarded him as my best friend.
当做。
Bú yào bǎ bié rén de bāng zhù dàng zuò lǐ suǒ dāng rán.
Don't take other people's help for granted.
当做。
Tā bǎ zhè cì shī bài dàng zuò yí cì xué xí de jī huì.
He regarded this failure as a learning opportunity.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

当 supplies regarding, 做 supplies acting as, together meaning treat as.

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 當; 当 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

田田tiánfield

Sound part声符shēngfú

尚

尚shàng當dāng

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.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Appears in

Thinking & Cognition

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