Fluentide
Fluentide for iOS is out — get the app
HSK 3

应该

should; ought to

verbneutral
应
yīng1st tone
该
gāi1st tone

HSK level

1
2
3
4
5
6
Pinyin
yīnggāi
Part of speech
verb
Level
HSK 3
Strokes
15
Register
neutral

Stroke order for 应该

应该 is written with 15 strokes (应: 7, 该: 8). The animation replays automatically.

What does 应该 mean?

应该 (yīnggāi) is the Chinese modal verb for 'should' or 'ought to' — used to express obligation, expectation, or strong likelihood.

It sits before the main verb: 你应该睡觉 ('you should sleep'). Three uses to know: (1) moral or social obligation — 你应该帮她 ('you should help her'); (2) expectation based on rules or schedule — 火车应该八点到 ('the train should arrive at eight'); (3) inference about likelihood — 他应该在家 ('he should be at home / he probably is at home'). Unlike English 'should,' 应该 is not used for polite suggestions in restaurants or stores — for that, use 可以 ('can') or 要不要 ('would you like').

The negative is 不应该 ('shouldn't'). Pronunciation note: in fast speech, the first tone on 应 stays first tone (yīng, not yìng — that reading means 'to respond').

Note: Works in both spoken and written contexts. In very casual speech, native speakers often shorten it to just 该 (gāi) — e.g. 你该走了 ('you should go now').

Character by character

应yīngought to; should
+
该gāishould; ought to
=
应该

Memory hook: Two characters that each independently mean 'should' — doubled up for emphasis, like 'must-ought.'

Example sentences

你应该多喝水。

Nǐ yīnggāi duō hē shuǐ.

You should drink more water.

spoken

他应该在家。

Tā yīnggāi zài jiā.

He should be at home.

neutral

我们应该早点儿走。

Wǒmen yīnggāi zǎo diǎnr zǒu.

We should leave a bit earlier.

spoken

你不应该这样说。

Nǐ bù yīnggāi zhèyàng shuō.

You shouldn't talk like that.

neutral

谢谢你！——应该的。

Xièxie nǐ! — Yīnggāi de.

Thank you! — Don't mention it (it's what I should do).

spoken

Common phrases with 应该

应该是yīnggāi shìshould be; probably is
不应该bù yīnggāishouldn't; ought not
应该的yīnggāi de(it's) what I should do; no need to thank me
本来应该běnlái yīnggāioriginally should have; was supposed to
应该不会yīnggāi bú huìprobably won't

Synonyms

该gāi

Short, casual form of 应该. 你该走了 = 'you should go.' Drops in fast speech and intimate contexts. 应该 is the safe full form for any register.

得děi

得 means 'must / have to' — stronger than 应该 and more colloquial. 我得走了 ('I have to go') vs 我应该走了 ('I should go'). Use 得 when there's no choice, 应该 for moral/expected action.

需要xūyào

需要 means 'need to / require' — a need rather than a moral 'should.' 我需要水 ('I need water') vs 你应该喝水 ('you should drink water').

Don't confuse 应该 with

可以kěyǐ

可以 means 'can / may / allowed to' — about possibility or permission. 应该 is about moral or expected behavior. 你可以走 ('you may leave') vs 你应该走 ('you should leave').

要yào

要 means 'want to / will / need to' — about desire or future action. 我要回家 ('I want to / will go home') vs 我应该回家 ('I should go home').

因该yīn gāi

Not a real word. Beginners sometimes mistype 应该 as 因该 because 因 (yīn) and 应 (yīng) sound close. Always 应该.

FAQ

Acquire it by listening

Meet 应该 again — in real Chinese, at your level.

Fluentide turns real news into Chinese listening at your exact level, so words like 应该 show up again and again in natural sentences — with pinyin and translation every time. No flashcards. Free to start.