常有 (cháng yǒu) — common; frequent; often occurring

Definition

adjective
commonfrequentoften occurring

Examples

  • 常有
    Zhè shì cháng yǒu de shì, bú yòng dà jīng xiǎo guài.
    This is a common occurrence, no need to make a fuss.
  • 常有
    Zài nán fāng, zhè zhǒng tiān qì cháng yǒu.
    In the south, this kind of weather is common.
  • 常有
    Zhè zhǒng wèn tí zài kǎo shì zhōng shì cháng yǒu de.
    This kind of problem is common in exams.

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.

yǒuhave/occur

常 (often) tells how frequently 有 (have/occur) happens, giving 'frequently occurring'.

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
jīncloth
Sound part声符shēngfú
shàngcháng
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.

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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
ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
yòuyǒu
Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

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