<p>Honestly, many of the definitions have a frequency of use thats quite high.  当 is usually pronounced in first tone so that doesn't change much.  Usually, additional characters are added to create vocab that clarifies which definition of a character to use-- of sometimes a dozen definitions to choose from.</p>
<p>Even of 当 definitions that are frequently used solo multiple are common.  If you have to choose one, just to choose one, you could choose &quot;work as/serve as/act as/etc&quot;.  This definition was very ceremoniously chosen as the first one in the dictionary entry.  Since it is frequently used alone, seems a great choice.</p>
<p>Some examples of this use (also from pleco) if needed:</p>
<p>...当组长     ...act as group leader</p>
<p>...当飞行员   ...work as a pilot</p>
<p>...当一名宇航员...be an astronaut</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-04T05:35:28.753Z
2023-02-04T05:35:28.753Z
zagrycha
<p>I'm working on a lexicon for the main Chinese characters, and I only have a few words to give a meaning. I stumble on this particular character used in the first tone, and the least I can say is that it does not make consensus in the dictionaries available online. What would be the main meanings used in modern Chinese ?<br />
My Wenlin dictionary gives :<br />
verb: ①undertake; accept ②be just as ③should<br />
coverb: at a given time or place<br />
bound form: ①at a given time or place  ②equal to, appropriate</p>
<p>I have to choose among these uses, who has an idea of their frequency of use?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-03T19:06:10.987Z
This page will help you to better understand the word 当, and its many uses and meanings. https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E5%BD%93
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-04T06:14:23.600Z
充任，担任：充～。担（dān ）～。～之无愧。
掌管，主持：～家。～权。～政。
正在那时候或那地方：～时。～代。～初。～今。～即（立即）。～年。～街。～院。
面对着：～面。～机立断。首～其冲。
相称，相配：旗鼓相～。～量（liáng）。
应该：应～。理～。老～益壮。
抵敌：万夫不～之勇。
判罪，意为处以相当的刑罚：该～何罪。
顶端，头：瓦～。
象声词，金属撞击的声音。  This page is not more helpful than Wenlin => no idea about the frequencies of uses for meanings. Just we can guess the first is the most commonly used ?
faure
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-04T16:09:16.980Z
I can't say which has been used the most, but the following are more or less having an equal appearance: ～家。～权。～政。～时。～代。～初。～今。～年。～面。应～。理～。
r13
<meaning><simplified-characters>
For a consensuel translation of the character 当
# For a consensuel translation of the character 当

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-02-03)

I'm working on a lexicon for the main Chinese characters, and I only have a few words to give a meaning. I stumble on this particular character used in the first tone, and the least I can say is that it does not make consensus in the dictionaries available online. What would be the main meanings used in modern Chinese ?  
My Wenlin dictionary gives :  
verb: ①undertake; accept ②be just as ③should  
coverb: at a given time or place  
bound form: ①at a given time or place ②equal to, appropriate

I have to choose among these uses, who has an idea of their frequency of use?

**Tags:** meaning, simplified-characters

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This page will help you to better understand the word 当, and its many uses and meanings. https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E5%BD%93  
> **username_0**: 充任，担任：充～。担（dān ）～。～之无愧。 掌管，主持：～家。～权。～政。 正在那时候或那地方：～时。～代。～初。～今。～即（立即）。～年。～街。～院。 面对着：～面。～机立断。首～其冲。 相称，相配：旗鼓相～。～量（liáng）。 应该：应～。理～。老～益壮。 抵敌：万夫不～之勇。 判罪，意为处以相当的刑罚：该～何罪。 顶端，头：瓦～。 象声词，金属撞击的声音。  This page is not more helpful than Wenlin => no idea about the frequencies of uses for meanings. Just we can guess the first is the most commonly used ?  
> **username_1**: I can't say which has been used the most, but the following are more or less having an equal appearance: ～家。～权。～政。～时。～代。～初。～今。～年。～面。应～。理～。  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2023-02-04. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Honestly, many of the definitions have a frequency of use thats quite high. 当 is usually pronounced in first tone so that doesn't change much. Usually, additional characters are added to create vocab that clarifies which definition of a character to use-- of sometimes a dozen definitions to choose from.

Even of 当 definitions that are frequently used solo multiple are common. If you have to choose one, just to choose one, you could choose "work as/serve as/act as/etc". This definition was very ceremoniously chosen as the first one in the dictionary entry. Since it is frequently used alone, seems a great choice.

Some examples of this use (also from pleco) if needed:

...当组长 ...act as group leader

...当飞行员 ...work as a pilot

...当一名宇航员...be an astronaut


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