Usage note
应该用来表示建议或推荐，通常用于日常生活中。
yīng gāi lái yòng lái bǐ shì jiàn xiù huò tuī jiàn, tōng cháng yòng yú rì kāi shēn qíng zhōng.
应该 is used to express suggestions or recommendations and is commonly used in daily life.
Context note
应该常用于建议别人做某事或推荐某种行为。例如，家长可能会对孩子说：你应该早点睡觉。
yīng gāi cháng yòng lái jiàn xùn bǐ rén zuò mǒu shì huò tuī jiàn zěn me háng wéi. rú guǒ, jiā zhǎng kě néng huì zuò dào tóu ér shuō: nǐ yīng gāi diǎn qián shuì jiào.
应该 is often used to suggest that someone should do something or recommend a certain behavior. For example, parents might say to their child: 你应该早点睡觉.
5 examples
你应该多吃蔬菜。
nǐ yīng gāi duō chī shū cài。
You should eat more vegetables.
我们应该每天锻炼身体。
wǒ men yīng gāi měi tiān duàn liàn shēn tǐ。
We should exercise every day.
你应该早点起床。
nǐ yīng gāi zǎo diǎn qǐ chuáng。
You should get up early.
我们应该节约用水。
wǒ men yīng gāi jié yuē yòng shuǐ。
We should save water.
你应该认真听讲。
nǐ yīng gāi rèn zhēn tīng jiǎng。
You should listen carefully in class.
5 mini stories
妈妈说你应该早点回家。爸爸也同意了。
mā ma shuō nǐ yīng gāi zǎo diǎn huí jiā。 bà ba yě tóng yì le。
Mom said you should go home early. Dad agreed.
老师告诉我们应该认真完成作业。
lǎo shī gào sù wǒ men yīng gāi rèn zhēn wán chéng zuò yè。
The teacher told us we should complete our homework carefully.
我们应该多读课外书。爸爸说。
wǒ men yīng gāi duō dú kè wài shū。 bà ba shuō。
Dad said we should read more extracurricular books.
你应该早点睡觉，这样明天会更有精神。
nǐ yīng gāi zǎo diǎn shuì jiào， zhè yàng míng tiān huì gèng yǒu jīng shén。
You should go to bed early so you'll be more energetic tomorrow.
我们应该多做家务。妈妈说。
wǒ men yīng gāi duō zuò jiā wù。 mā ma shuō。
Mom said we should do more housework.
Mini dialogue
该睡觉了
A
很晚了，你应该去睡觉了。
Hěn wǎn le, nǐ yīnggāi qù shuìjiào le.
It's very late, you should go to bed.
B
好的，我明天应该早点起床。
Hǎo de, wǒ míngtiān yīnggāi zǎodiǎn qǐchuáng.
Okay, I should get up early tomorrow.
帮助朋友
A
他生病了，我们应该帮助他。
Tā shēngbìng le, wǒmen yīnggāi bāngzhù tā.
He is sick, we should help him.
B
对，我们应该带一些水果给他。
Duì, wǒmen yīnggāi dài yīxiē shuǐguǒ gěi tā.
Right, we should bring him some fruit.
Related words and contrasts
contrast
必须
bìxū
must
应该 is a suggestion; 必须 is a strong rule
contrast
可以
kěyǐ
can
可以 means allowed; 应该 means it is the right thing to do