本该...
Reach for 本该 when you want to say something should have been a certain way but wasn't — 'it was supposed to be a night of celebration,' 'people who should have known better.' It carries a strong undertone of disappointment or irony: there was an expected reality, and it didn't materialize. Short for 本来应该, it appears mostly in written register — news commentary, narrative writing, opinion pieces. In speech, people use 本来应该 or 应该 with context.
Structure
[SUBJECT] 本该 [VERB / SITUATION] (, 却 / 可是 / 但...)
běn gāi...
How to Think About It
本 means 'originally' and 该 is short for 应该 'should.' Together 本该 sets up a contrast with reality: the expected outcome didn't happen. That's why 本该 sentences almost always pair with a 却, 可是, or 但 clause that delivers what actually happened. Without the contrast, 本该 sounds incomplete — the listener is waiting for 'but instead…' Treat 本该 as a setup for disappointment or surprise.
Examples
他本该早点回家，却因为加班错过了晚饭。
Tā běn gāi zǎo diǎn huíjiā, què yīnwèi jiābān cuòguò le wǎnfàn.
He should have come home earlier, but because of overtime he missed dinner.
这本该是一次愉快的旅行，可惜下了三天雨。
Zhè běn gāi shì yī cì yúkuài de lǚxíng, kěxī xià le sān tiān yǔ.
This was supposed to be a pleasant trip, but unfortunately it rained for three days.
作为老板，他本该更负责任。
Zuòwéi lǎobǎn, tā běn gāi gèng fù zérèn.
As the boss, he should have been more responsible.
Common Mistake
Learners use 本该 for a simple 'should' recommendation ('you should study more'), but 本该 specifically refers to a missed or unmet expectation. For neutral advice, use 应该.
你本该多喝水，对身体好。
你应该多喝水，对身体好。
Don't Confuse With
应该
应该 is neutral 'should' — for advice or expectation about the future. 本该 looks backward at a 'should have been' that didn't happen.
应该……才对
Strengthens advice with 'that's the right way.' Still forward-looking. 本该 is regret about the past.
本来
本来 alone means 'originally' or 'in the first place,' usable for any contrast. 本该 specifically marks a missed should-have-been.
Practice
她____是冠军，却因为受伤退赛了。
Show answer
本该
本该高兴的一天，____变成了灾难。
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却
Arrange: 本该 / 这 / 安静的 / 一个 / 是 / 夜晚
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这本该是一个安静的夜晚。
Translate: He should have known better.
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他本该更懂事一些。
Write one sentence using 本该 about an unmet expectation.
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周末本该好好休息，没想到客户一直打电话。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode:
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear 本该... in real Chinese, not in a textbook.
Fluentide picks the next news episode at your level, so this pattern shows up again and again in real context. The transcript marks it, the audio drills it. Free to start, no card.