当
dāng
to be
to act as; manage; withstand; when; during; ought; should; match equally; equal; same; obstruct; just at (a time or place); on the spot; right; just at
a picture of 当 → standing squarely at the mark
当 originally depicted a balance scale with equal pans — something held squarely in position. That sense of 'right at this spot, right at this moment' radiates outward into meanings like to act as, to be, and ought to.
她当老师已经十年了。
tā dāng lǎo shī yǐ jīng shí nián le。
she has been a teacher for ten years already.
当他走进房间时，大家都安静下来。
dāng tā zǒu jìn fáng jiān shí，dà jiā dōu ān jìng xià lái。
when he walked into the room, everyone went quiet.
Words with 当
不敢当
bù gǎn dāng
lit. I dare not (accept the honor); fig. I don't deserve your praise
当归
dāng guī
Angelica sinensis
当局
dāng jú
authorities
门当户对
mén dāng hù duì
the families are well-matched in terms of social status (idiom)
当夜
dāng yè
on that night
当夜
dàng yè
that very night
当着
dāng zhe
in front of
应当
yīng dāng
should; ought to
只当
zhǐ dàng
(coll.) to take (sth) as …; to treat as …; to assume; to act as if …
不当
bù dàng
unsuitable; improper; inappropriate
当回事
dàng huí shì
to take seriously (often with negative expression: "don't take it too seriously")
过当
guò dàng
excessive