The Chinese word 当 has multiple meanings depending on the context in which it is used. One of its most common meanings is “to be” or “to act as”, as in 当老师, which means “to be a teacher”. It can also mean “to face” or “to confront”, as in 当面, which means “face to face”. Additionally, 当 can be used as a preposition to indicate a time or event, such as 当天, which means “that day”. Overall, 当 is a versatile word that is essential to understanding and speaking Chinese.
Translation
dāng
Verb: to act as, to administer
Auxiliary Verb: should, ought
Adjective: equal
Conjunction: when, during
dàng
Verb: to fail (a student), to pawn
Adverb: suitable, at that time
Pronunciation
Example Sentences
| Chinese | Pinyin | Engish |
|---|---|---|
| 他当了一年的志愿者 | tā dāngle yī nián de zhìyuànzhě | He volunteered for a year |
| 这个问题当下需要解决 | zhège wèntí dāngxià xūyào jiějué | This problem needs to be solved immediately |
| 她当时还是个孩子 | tā dāngshí háishì gè háizi | She was still a child at that time |
| 我当然愿意帮忙 | wǒ dāngrán yuànyì bāngmáng | Of course, I’m willing to help |
| 这个角色不适合他当 | zhège juésè bù shìhé tā dāng | This role is not suitable for him to play |
| 他当着众人的面道歉了 | tā dāngzhe zhòngrén de miàn dàoqiànle | He apologized in front of everyone |
| 这个问题当时已经被解决了 | zhège wèntí dāngshí yǐjīng bèi jiějuéle | This problem had already been solved at that time |
| 我们需要当心这个人 | wǒmen xūyào dāngxīn zhège rén | We need to be careful of this person |
HSK
当 is part of HSK Level 4 in HSK 2.0. In the newer HSK 3.0 it is part of HSK Level 2 and HSK Level 6.
Learning Card
