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當 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
當dāngappropriate, timely; to act, to serve; the sound of bellszg, 13 strokes, radical 田
dāng(dang1) T1
  1. 1appropriate, timely; to act, to serve; the sound of bells
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March 24, 2026

當dāng(dang1)

The character 當 (dāng) primarily means 'to act' or 'to serve,' often used in contexts where someone is fulfilling a role or duty. It can also denote appropriateness or timeliness, indicating that something is suitable for a particular situation or moment. Additionally, it can refer to the sound of bells, adding a unique nuance to its usage.

Strokes13Radical田
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of duty and appropriateness is deeply ingrained, reflecting the importance of fulfilling one's role in society, whether in family, work, or community settings. The character's connection to serving aligns with traditional values of filial piety and collective responsibility.

Memory Tip

Imagine a bell ringing at the right moment; that's 當 (dāng). The character features the radical '田' (tián), meaning 'field,' suggesting that something is 'in the field' or 'in action,' while the '当' component hints at 'acting' or 'serving' in that moment.

Meanings of 當

dāng(dang1)
1appropriate, timely; to act, to serve; the sound of bells
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 當

當Simplified
13Strokes
田Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 當

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Podcast: 當

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AI Study Notes for 當

Quick Contrast

当 (dāng) vs 担 (dān): use 当 when referring to fulfilling a role or duty, while 担 is used for carrying or bearing something.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone, as 'dāng' (with a high tone) is different from 'dàng' (to fall or to drop). In informal contexts, it can mean 'to be' or 'to be in charge,' while in formal registers, it emphasizes duty or responsibility. Common collocations include 當老師 (dāng lǎoshī - to be a teacher) and 當時 (dāngshí - at that time).

HSK Study Tips

Although 當 is not in HSK levels, it connects to HSK 4 and 5 vocabulary related to roles and responsibilities, such as 做 (zuò - to do) and 角色 (juésè - role). Learners should focus on its various meanings in context to fully grasp its use.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 當 (dāng) with the similar-sounding 當 (dàng), which means 'to fall' or 'to drop.' For example, saying '我當掉了' (wǒ dāng diào le) instead of '我當了老師' (wǒ dāng le lǎoshī) can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 當

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Etymology of 當

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 田 represents the meaning and 尚 represents the sound. The contribution of the 田 (field) component to the meaning is unclear. The simplified character 当 was adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character 當.

Memory Hint

field

Semantic (meaning)田
+
Phonetic (sound)尚
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 當

Phonosemantic compound. 田 represents the meaning and 尚 represents the sound. The contribution of the 田 (field) component to the meaning is unclear. The simplified character 当 was adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character 當.

  1. 1The meaning half田 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half尚 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayfield
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 當? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 當?

Decomposition of 當

IDS Structure⿱尚田
當Full Character
=
尚Shang4
top
田Tian2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 當?

How to say appropriate, timely; to act, to serve; the sound of bells in Chinese

“appropriate, timely; to act, to serve; the sound of bells” in Chinese is當dāng

The character 當 (dāng) primarily means 'to act' or 'to serve,' often used in contexts where someone is fulfilling a role or duty. It can also denote appropriateness or timeliness, indicating that something is suitable for a particular situation or moment. Additionally, it can refer to the sound of bells, adding a unique nuance to its usage.

When to use 當

Be cautious with the tone, as 'dāng' (with a high tone) is different from 'dàng' (to fall or to drop). In informal contexts, it can mean 'to be' or 'to be in charge,' while in formal registers, it emphasizes duty or responsibility. Common collocations include 當老師 (dāng lǎoshī - to be a teacher) and 當時 (dāngshí - at that time).

當 or something close to it

当 (dāng) vs 担 (dān): use 当 when referring to fulfilling a role or duty, while 担 is used for carrying or bearing something.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 當 (dāng) with the similar-sounding 當 (dàng), which means 'to fall' or 'to drop.' For example, saying '我當掉了' (wǒ dāng diào le) instead of '我當了老師' (wǒ dāng le lǎoshī) can lead to misunderstandings.

Write 當

當

Practice writing 當 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 當

Words Containing This Character20
当dāngto be當
当然dāngránonly natural當然
当时dāngshíthen當時
相当xiāngdāngequivalent to相當
当地dāngdìlocal當地
应当yīngdāngshould應當
当年dāngniánthen當年
当前dāngqiáncurrent當前
当天dàngtiānon that day當天
当中dāngzhōngamong當中
当初dāngchūat that time當初
适当shìdàngsuitable適當
当作dàngzuòto treat as當作
当事人dāngshìrénparty (to an affair)當事人
当成dàngchéngto consider as當成
当日dāngrìthat very day當日
当场dāngchǎngat the scene當場
当局authorities當局
正当zhèngdànghonest正當
当晚dàngwǎnon that evening當晚
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 当 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 當

Apart from 'to act' or 'to serve,' 當 can also mean 'appropriate' or 'timely' and refers to the sound of bells.

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