Chinese Language Learning Program Lesson 160 – “常常, 经常, 时常, 平时, 平常 and通常” in Chinese

Chinese Language Learning Program

Lesson 160 – “常常, 经常, 时常, 平时, 平常 and通常” in Chinese

Hello, everyone. Welcome back. This is Baixue’s Chinese Language Learning Program. Last time we talked about about “jí pǐn, 极品” in Chinese. Today, we will talk about “常常, 经常, 时常, 平时, 平常 and通常” in Chinese.

Ok, these words are all adverbs in Chinese. They have similar meanings. So, what is the difference among these adverbs? So, let’s see some examples.

cháng cháng

常        常 (often；frequently；always；usually)

tā cháng cháng gōng zuò dào shēn yè.

他    常         常      工      作     到     深   夜。

(He often works far into the night.)

xiǎo lǐ cháng cháng chí dào.

  小  李    常        常     迟   到。

(Xiao Li is always late.)

jīng cháng

  经     常 (often；always；frequently；usually)

tā jīng cháng qù tú shū guǎn.

他  经      常     去 图   书    馆。

(He often goes to the library.)

zhè zhǒng shì qíng jīng cháng fā shēng.

 这      种     事    情    经       常     发    生。

(This kind of thing often happens.)

So, 常常 and 经常 can be used interchangeably. 

shí cháng

  时   常

(from time to time; often；frequently；more often than not；at times)

tā shēng bìng de shí hòu tā de nǚ'ér men shí cháng qù tàn

她    生      病   的   时   候  她 的  女儿   们    市      场     去  探    

wàng tā.

   望   她。

(Her daughters visited  her from time to time when she was ill.)

rén men shí cháng dào zhè dì fāng lái kàn rì chū.

 人    们    时     常      到    这  地  方   来   看  日  出。

(People often come here for the sunrise. )

píng shí

  平    时 (In normal times; usually; at ordinary times)

bái xuě jīn tiān chén mò bù yán, hé píng shí pàn ruò liǎng rén.

 白   雪  今   天      沉    默  不  言，和   平     时   判   若     两     人。

(Bai Xue did not speak today, and which was most unlike her.)

tā píng shí zhù zài xué xiào, xīng qí liù cái huí jiā.

他  平     时   住   在  学    校，  星   期 六  才   回  家。

(She usually lives in the school and goes home only on Saturdays.)

píng cháng

  平      常

(ordinary; common; generally; usually; be all in the day's work)

wǒ píng cháng dōu shì bù xíng shàng bān de.

我    平       常      都   是  步   行        上     班   的。

(I usually walk to work.) (Adv.)

tā qí shí jiù shì gè píng cháng rén.

她其  实  就  是  个   平       常     人。

(She is actually a normal person.) (Adj.)

nà shì jí píng cháng de yī jiàn shì.

那   是极  平        常    的一   件   事。

(That is an very ordinary event.) (Adj.)

tōng cháng

  通       常

(usually; as a rule; in general; often: A action or something will happen if there is no accident.)

wǒ tōng cháng 7 diǎn zhōng qǐ chuáng.

我    通        常   7   点       钟    起      床。

(I usually get up at seven o'clock.)

wǒ tōng cháng dōu shì bù xíng shàng bān de.

我    通       常      都   是  步   行        上     班   的。

(I usually walk to work.)

(I like/tend to go to work by walking.)

The six words all have the meaning "uaually ", but they still have small but subtle differences, you just need to read more sentences to know the subtle differences.

Ok, that is all for today.

xiè  xiè!

 谢   谢 ! (Thanks!)

xià  cì  jiàn

 下  次  见!  (See you next time!)