如常 (rú cháng) — as usual | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Formal adverb meaning 'as usual, as before' — written or literary tone, used to describe routines or states returning to normal.

adverb

as usual

Examples

如常，。
Yí qiè rú cháng, méi shén me tè bié de.
Everything as usual, nothing special.
如常。
Tā měi tiān rú cháng qù gōng yuán sàn bù.
He goes to the park for a walk as usual every day.
如常，。
Shēng huó rú cháng, píng jìng ér chōng shí.
Life proceeds as usual, calm and fulfilling.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

“如” means like or as, and “常” means usual, giving as usual.

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.

女口如

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

女

女nǚ如rú

Same sound today

如 is built from 口 (mouth) for its meaning and 女 (woman) for its sound.

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.

Appears in

Frequency & Duration

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