Expressing “At Once” with “dāngchǎng”
当场
How it works
当场 (dāngchǎng) means “on the spot,” “right there,” or “immediately at the scene.” It emphasizes that something happens immediately and at that very place, often without delay.
It can be used for reactions, decisions, punishment, responses, agreement, refusal, and many other actions.
Example sentences
听完他的解释以后，原本情绪激动的几个人当场安静了下来。
After hearing his explanation, the several people who had originally been emotionally agitated calmed down on the spot.
对方提出那个条件的时候，我们并没有当场答应，而是决定回去再认真考虑。
When the other side proposed that condition, we did not agree on the spot, but decided to go back and think about it carefully.
他发现数据有明显错误后，当场要求所有人暂停讨论，先重新核对材料。
After discovering obvious errors in the data, he immediately demanded on the spot that everyone suspend the discussion and first recheck the materials.
Key point
当场 (dāngchǎng) strongly emphasizes immediacy plus location.