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常见 (cháng jiàn) — common, commonly seen

Definition

常见 describes what is frequently seen or encountered — a thing or situation. 常用 is about words/tools that are frequently used, not things that are frequently seen.

phrase
commoncommonly seen

Examples

  • 常见。
    Zhè ge wèn tí hěn cháng jiàn.
    This problem is very common.
  • 常见。
    Zhè zhǒng huā zài zhè lǐ hěn cháng jiàn.
    This kind of flower is common here.
  • 常见。
    Tā de míng zì hěn cháng jiàn.
    His name is very common.

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.

常chángoften
见jiànsee

常 means often, 见 means see; together they describe something commonly seen.

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.

Open 常 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 見; 见 is its simplified writing.

  • 目目mùeye
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

The traditional form 見 pairs 目 (eye) with 卩 (kneeling person), showing a kneeling figure with a large eye for a head. The simplified 见 is a later shorthand.

Open 见 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 3Frequency & Duration

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