应 yīng — ought; (surname); to answer; to respond
我们应该互相帮助。Wǒ men yīng gāi hù xiāng bāng zhù.We should help each other.
Common words: 应该 (yīng gāi)、答应 (dā ying)、反应 (fǎn yìng)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "to answer"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "to answer", including 应 (yīng), 回 (huí), 答 (dā / dá). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "to answer" covers 3 different Chinese characters — 应 (yīng), 回 (huí), 答 (dā / dá) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 3 characters do not share a sound — their readings span yīng, huí, dā, dá — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 应 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 应 yīngought; (surname); to answer; to respondUseful words: 应该, 答应
- 回 huí(a measure word for matters or actions) a time; to circle; to go back; to turn around; to answer; to returnUseful words: 回来, 回家
- 答 dā / dáto answer; agree; reply; answer; return; respondUseful words: 回答, 答应
Common words for these 3 "to answer" characters
Anchor each of these 3 characters in a word you can picture — start with 应 (yīng) — so "to answer" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
应该yīng gāiought to; should; must答应dā yingto answer; to respond; to answer positively; to agree反应fǎn yìngto react; to respond; reaction; response回来huí laito return; to come back回家huí jiāto return home回到huí dàoto return to回答huí dáto reply; to answer; reply; answer答应dā yingto answer; to respond; to answer positively; to agree答案dá ànanswer; solution
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 3 ways to say "to answer".
回 huí — (a measure word for matters or actions) a time; to circle; to go back; to turn around; to answer; to return
他每天六点回家。Tā měi tiān liù diǎn huí jiā.He goes home at six every day.
Common words: 回来 (huí lai)、回家 (huí jiā)、回到 (huí dào)
答 dā / dá — to answer; agree; reply; answer; return; respond
请回答这个问题。Qǐng huí dá zhè ge wèn tí.Please answer this question.
Common words: 回答 (huí dá)、答应 (dā ying)、答案 (dá àn)
All 3 characters
Open 应、回、答 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.