该

gāi

HSK 3.0 Level 6 Verb Very common

Save to list

Definitions

1. should
2. ought to
3. probably
4. must be
5. to deserve
6. to owe
7. to be sb's turn to do sth
8. that
9. the above-mentioned

Stop forgetting what you study.
Build recall daily.

Try HanyuGuide's Chinese review system with multiple choice, typed recall, tone-aware practice, and reviews scheduled before memory fades.

Start Free Trial · $49.99 / year

Sign up with Google

Continue with Email

Lifetime for $119.99 Try a practice session

Character focus

Stroke order

8 strokes

Reset Play Next stroke

Word relationships

Related words

3 items

• 欠 qiàn 欠 qiàn to owe meaning to owe: to owe
• 活该 huó gāi 活该 huó gāi (coll.) serve sb right deserved (often negative): (coll.) serve sb right
• 轮到 lún dào 轮到 lún dào to be (sb's or sth's) turn to be someone's turn: to be (sb's or sth's) turn

Synonyms

1 item

• 应 yìng 应 yìng to answer used to express obligation or necessity: to answer

Usage notes

Common mistakes

该 is not used for future certainty like English 'should' (e.g., 'it should arrive tomorrow' uses 应该, not 该).

Formality

该 meaning 'the above-mentioned' is formal and mainly used in written or legal contexts.

Example Sentences

4 shown

我 该 回去了。

I should go back.

我们吃完了， 该 结账了。

We have finished eating; it's time to pay the bill.

时间不早了，我们 该 告辞了。

It's getting late; we should take our leave.

活 该 。

Source: Tatoeba.org (ID 3832400)

Sentence data courtesy of Tatoeba.org. AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Words Containing 该

• 应该 应该 yīng gāi: ought to
• 活该 活该 huó gāi: (coll.) serve sb right
• 不该 不该 bù gāi: should not
• 亚该亚 亚该亚 yà gāi yà: Achaia
• 合该 合该 hé gāi: ought to
• 哈该书 哈该书 hā gāi shū: Book of Haggai
• 应该的 应该的 yīng gāi de: you're most welcome
• 撒都该人 撒都该人 sā dū gāi rén: Sadducees
• 米该亚 米该亚 mǐ gāi yà: Micah
• 该亚 该亚 gāi yà: Gaea, the Earth Goddess and mother of the Titans
• 该博 该博 gāi bó: erudite
• 该应 该应 gāi yīng: should
• 该死 该死 gāi sǐ: wretched
• 该当 该当 gāi dāng: should
• 该隐 该隐 gāi yǐn: Cain (name)