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时常 (shí cháng) — often; frequently

Definition

A written-form 'often / frequently' that sounds slightly more formal and literary than the everyday 经常. Use it in prose and essays rather than casual speech.

adverb
oftenfrequently

Examples

  • 时常。
    Wǒ shí cháng huì xiǎng qǐ xiǎo shí hou de shì.
    I often think about things from my childhood.
  • 时常。
    Tā shí cháng jiā bān dào hěn wǎn.
    He often works overtime until very late.
  • 时常？
    Nǐ shí cháng hé fù mǔ lián xì ma?
    Do you often keep in touch with your parents?

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.

时shítime
常chángoften

常 means often, and 时 adds the idea of time.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 時; 时 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
日日rìsun; day
Sound part声符shēngfú
之
之zhī時shí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 時 pairs 日 (sun/day) with 之 as the part that gives the sound; the simplified 时 is not the form described.

Open 时 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 6Frequency & Duration

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