常理 (cháng lǐ) — common sense; generally accepted reasoning and… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

常理 is 'common sense' as generally accepted moral and practical reasoning — more about shared norms than facts (常识) or pure logic (道理). Used in fixed phrases like 照常理 and 违背常理.

noun

common sensegenerally accepted reasoning and moral principles

Examples

，。
Zhào cháng lǐ, nǐ yīng gāi xiān dào qiàn.
According to common sense, you should apologize first.
常理。
Tā de zuò fǎ wán quán wéi bèi cháng lǐ.
His approach completely goes against common sense.
常理，。
cháng lǐ Gào sù wǒ men, fù chū cái yǒu huí bào.
Common sense tells us that only by putting in effort can we get returns.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

理lǐprinciple

The character 常 indicates usual or common, while 理 indicates principle, giving common principles.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

巾巾jīncloth

Sound part声符shēngfú

尚

尚shàng常cháng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

常 pairs 巾, a cloth, with 尚 as a sound part; the form originally referred to a lower garment.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

玉玉yùjade

Sound part声符shēngfú

里

里lǐ理lǐ

Same sound today

理 pairs 玉 (jade) with 里, which shows how to say it; the jade part points to the old sense of polishing jade.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Abstract Concepts

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