Meaning
that; the above-mentioned; most likely; to deserve; should; ought to
Chinese: 应当、轮到或指前面说过的人事物。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “gai” becomes a different word in each tone. 该 is the 1st tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 应该yīng gāiought to; should; must
- 活该huó gāi(coll.) serve sb right; deservedly; ought; should
- 不该bù gāishould not; to owe nothing
- 该当gāi dāngshould; to deserve
- 该应gāi yīngshould
Example Sentence
你应该早点儿睡觉。Nǐ yīng gāi zǎo diǎnr shuì jiào.You should go to bed earlier.
你you应该yīng gāishould早点儿zǎo diǎn ra bit earlier睡觉shuì jiàoto go to bed。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
The speech radical 讠 plus 亥 (sound): ‘should, ought to; deserve; to be one's turn (该你了); the aforementioned (该校)’ (应该, 该死). Simplified from 該.
A way to remember it
‘Should / ought to’; and ‘the said-’: 应该, 该校.