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How to Say ‘Should; ought to’ in Simplified Chinese

gāi

[guy]

💬 Usage Tip: [该] often means "should" or "be supposed to," and it commonly comes before [怎么] to ask what one should do: [该怎么吃药?] or [该怎么控制?].

Phrase Breakdown

gāi

[guy]

should; ought to

A modal word used to express what someone should do. It often appears in advice or instructions.

Example

血糖高的时候,您该及时休息。

When your blood sugar is high, you should rest in time.

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