Meaning
不该 expresses that something should not be done or should not have been done. It combines the negation 不 with the modal verb 该, creating a sense of moral obligation or appropriateness being violated. It can refer to future actions that should be avoided or past actions that were mistakes.
Usage
Native speakers use 不该 to express regret about past actions or to advise against future actions. It carries a moral or ethical weight, suggesting the action violates what is proper or appropriate. Common in both spoken and written language, it's slightly more formal than 不应该 but used similarly in everyday contexts.
Examples
- 01我不该对你发脾气。.I shouldn't have lost my temper at you.
- 02你不该把这件事告诉他。.You shouldn't have told him about this matter.
Characters
Common collocations
- 不该做的事things that shouldn't be done
- 本不该shouldn't have in the first place
- 实在不该really shouldn't
Antonyms
Origin
该 originally meant 'to owe' or 'that which is owed,' which evolved into expressing obligation and what ought to be. Combined with 不, it naturally expresses the negation of obligation.