Definitions

yīng (auxiliary verb) should; ought to; must
yìng (verb) to respond; to answer; to cope with

Etymology

Simplified form of . Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

About

The character 应 is the simplified form of the traditional character 應, which has the radical 心 at its base. This structure originally connected the meaning of responding or answering to the heart as the seat of thought and feeling. From this core idea of responsiveness, the character developed the sense of "should" or "ought to", denoting an expected action. In the simplified form, the heart radical is omitted, and the complex central components are condensed into a structure of three dots above a line, all beneath the radical 广.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

该去学校。

Wǒ yīnggāi qù xuéxiào.

I should go to school.

了一声。

Tā yìng le yī shēng.

He responded with a sound.

该努力学习。

Nǐ yīnggāi nǔlì xuéxí.

You should study hard.

用新技术很重要。

Yìngyòng xīn jìshù hěn zhòngyào.

Applying new technology is important.

他答明天来。

Tā dāyìng míngtiān lái.

He promised to come tomorrow.

我们必须适环境变化。

Wǒmen bìxū shìyìng huánjìng biànhuà.

We must adapt to environmental changes.

这项政策得到广泛支持。

Zhè xiàng zhèngcè yīng dédào guǎngfàn zhīchí.

This policy should receive widespread support.

企业及时响客户需求。

Qǐyè yīng jíshí xiǎngyìng kèhù xūqiú.

Enterprises should promptly respond to customer needs.