About
The traditional character "該" is structured with the speech radical "言" on the left and the component "亥" on the right, where "亥" functions as a phonetic element and is linked to the cyclical earthly branches. In classical Chinese, "該" carried the meaning of "to include" or "to be comprehensive", often referring to a complete set or list. Its semantic range later narrowed to express what is appropriate or necessary within a context, evolving into its primary modern role as a modal verb indicating obligation, as seen in "应该". Additionally, it acquired a pronominal function to refer back to previously mentioned entities, equivalent to "the said" or "that". The simplified form "该" maintains the phonetic component "亥" while replacing the traditional radical "言" with its simplified counterpart "讠".
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
你现在该休息了。
我们该学习新知识了。
他该为自己的行为负责。
你觉得我该怎么做？
该公司的业绩很好。
根据规定，该员工应该得到奖励。
如果天气不好，该活动可能会取消。
鉴于当前形势，该地区采取了紧急措施。