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March 24, 2026
该(該)gāi(gai1)
该 (gāi) is used to express obligation or necessity, conveying meanings such as 'should', 'ought to', or 'must'. It can also indicate that something is due or deserved, often appearing in contexts where a recommendation or expectation is made.
Strokes8Radical讠Frequency#129DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of obligation is often tied to social harmony and collective responsibility, making 该 a useful word in discussions about duties and expectations within relationships or communities.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person named 'Guy' who always says, 'You should do this.' This connects the pronunciation 'gāi' to the idea of obligation. The character 该 resembles a structure with a roof (the top component) indicating something important that ought to happen underneath.
Meanings of 该
gāi(gai1)
1should
2ought to
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 该 means.
About 该
该Simplified
該Traditional
8Strokes
讠Radical
代词dàicípronoun (pron.)Part of Speech
#129Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL2YCTL3HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 该
Podcast: 该
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AI Study Notes for 该
Quick Contrast
该 (gāi) vs 应该 (yīnggāi) — use 该 for a more direct expression of obligation, while 应该 adds an element of suggestion or recommendation.
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 该 with other modal verbs like 能 (néng) meaning 'can' or 要 (yào) meaning 'want'. Although it can be used in both formal and informal contexts, it's essential to use it appropriately to convey obligation rather than mere suggestion.
HSK Study Tips
While 该 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it connects to HSK Level 3 words related to obligation, such as 应该 (yīnggāi, 'should'). Students should practice using it in sentences to express necessity or recommendations.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 该 with 还 (hái, 'still' or 'also') in sentences, leading to improper usage. For example, saying '我该还去吗?' (Wǒ gāi hái qù ma?) instead of '我该去吗?' (Wǒ gāi qù ma?) which correctly means 'Should I go?'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 该
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How Well Do You Know 该?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 该 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
该 = 讠 + 亥. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 该
IDS Structure⿰讠亥
该Full Character
=
讠yan2
left
亥hai4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 该?
How to say should in Chinese
“should” in Chinese is该gāi
该 (gāi) is used to express obligation or necessity, conveying meanings such as 'should', 'ought to', or 'must'. It can also indicate that something is due or deserved, often appearing in contexts where a recommendation or expectation is made.
When to use 该
Common mistakes include confusing 该 with other modal verbs like 能 (néng) meaning 'can' or 要 (yào) meaning 'want'. Although it can be used in both formal and informal contexts, it's essential to use it appropriately to convey obligation rather than mere suggestion.
该 or something close to it
该 (gāi) vs 应该 (yīnggāi) — use 该 for a more direct expression of obligation, while 应该 adds an element of suggestion or recommendation.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 该 with 还 (hái, 'still' or 'also') in sentences, leading to improper usage. For example, saying '我该还去吗?' (Wǒ gāi hái qù ma?) instead of '我该去吗?' (Wǒ gāi qù ma?) which correctly means 'Should I go?'.
Write 该
该
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Practice writing 该 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 该
该 functions as a pronoun — it stands in for a noun. Use it in the same positions as nouns (subject before verb, object after). Plurals are formed by adding 们 (我们, 他们). It carries 10 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
