当

噹/當

dāng, dàng

⺌ + 彐

HSK 2.0Level 4

HSK 3.0Level 4

Definitions

dāng (verb) to be; to act as; to serve as

dāng (particle) when; during; at the time of

dāng (verb) should; ought to

dàng (verb) to consider as; to regard as

dàng (adjective) suitable; appropriate; fitting

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 田 represents the meaning and 尚 represents the sound. The simplified character 当 was adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character 當.

About

The traditional form 當 is a phono-semantic compound, with the field radical 田 at the bottom providing the semantic category of value or property, and the component 尚 at the top serving as the phonetic element. The simplified form reduces the complex traditional structure to a simpler form, with the small top element ⺌ placed over the component 彐. Its original meaning referred to matching values, such as pawning items or equating the worth of properties. This core concept of equivalency expanded to cover a range of uses, including acting in a role, bearing responsibilities, and marking a specific point in time or location.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Bronze Mid Warring States (~300 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Seal Xin dynasty (9-23 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

当然，我喜欢你。

dāngrán, wǒ xǐhuān nǐ.

Of course, I like you.

当我小时候，我住在北京。

dāng wǒ xiǎo shíhou, wǒ zhù zài Běijīng.

When I was young, I lived in Beijing.

他当司机已经十年了。

tā dāng sījī yǐjīng shí nián le.

He has been a driver for ten years.

当你看电视时，我在看书。

dāng nǐ kàn diànshì shí, wǒ zài kàn shū.

When you watch TV, I am reading a book.

当你遇到困难时，请告诉我。

dāng nǐ yù dào kùnnán shí, qǐng gàosù wǒ.

When you encounter difficulties, please tell me.

她当律师的时候，处理过很多案件。

tā dāng lǜshī de shíhou, chǔlǐ guò hěn duō ànjiàn.

When she was a lawyer, she handled many cases.

他把公司当自己的家。

tā bǎ gōngsī dàng zìjǐ de jiā.

He treats the company as his own home.

当全球变暖成为焦点时，各国政府应当采取行动。

dāng quánqiú biànnuǎn chéngwéi jiāodiǎn shí, gè guó zhèngfǔ yīngdāng cǎiqǔ xíngdòng.

When global warming becomes the focus, governments of various countries should take action.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: ⺌

Component: 彐

当