Japanese

べき

べき
Meaning: should; ought to; must
Part of Speech: Auxiliary verb

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Verb inflections

Form Affirmative Negative
Present べき —

Handwriting

べ
き

Example sentences

To protect the environment, we should do what we can.
自分のことだけでなく、周りの人の気持ちも考えるべきだ。
You should think not only about yourself, but also about the feelings of the people around you.
本来なら、こちらから伺うべきところですが、失礼いたします。
Normally, I should be the one to visit you, but please excuse me.
量より質を重視するべきだ。
We should prioritize quality over quantity.
本来なら、昨日までに終わらせるべきだった。
Ideally, it should have been finished by yesterday.
そんな無意味な争いはやめるべきだ。
We should stop such meaningless fighting.
公と私の区別をはっきりさせるべきだ。
One should clearly distinguish between public and private matters.
親は子供の私生活に干渉しすぎるべきではない。
Parents should not interfere too much in their children's private lives.
買い物に行く前に、買うべきもののリストを作りました。
Before going shopping, I made a list of things to buy.
子供は親の言うことを聞くべきだ。
Children should obey their parents.

Usage Notes

Used to express obligation, necessity, or something that is natural or expected to happen. It is more formal and stronger than 'hou ga ii'.

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