该 gāi — that; the above-mentioned; most likely; to deserve; should; ought to
你应该早点儿睡觉。Nǐ yīng gāi zǎo diǎnr shuì jiào.You should go to bed earlier.
Common words: 应该 (yīng gāi)、活该 (huó gāi)、不该 (bù gāi)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "should"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "should", including 该 (gāi), 宜 (yí). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words, and examples.
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "should" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 该 (gāi), 宜 (yí) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span gāi, yí — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 该 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 该 gāithat; the above-mentioned; most likely; to deserve; should; ought toUseful words: 应该, 活该
- 宜 yíproper; should; suitable; appropriateUseful words: 便宜, 不宜
Common words for these 2 "should" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 该 (gāi) — so "should" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "should".
宜 yí — proper; should; suitable; appropriate
这里气候宜人，很适合居住。Zhè lǐ qì hòu yí rén, hěn shì hé jū zhù.The climate here is pleasant and suitable for living.
Common words: 便宜 (biàn yí)、不宜 (bù yí)、适宜 (shì yí)
All 2 characters
Open 该、宜 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.