照常 (zhào cháng) — as usual; as normal | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

照常 means 'as usual / carry on as normal,' emphasizing that a routine continues despite circumstances. Closer in tone to 照例 ('as a rule') than to the more general 通常.

as usualas normal

Examples

，照常。
Suī rán tiān qì bù hǎo, bǐ sài yī rán zhào cháng jìn xíng.
Although the weather is bad, the match proceeds as usual.
照常。
Gōng sī zhōu mò yě zhào cháng yíng yè.
The company is open as usual on weekends.
，照常。
Tā shēng bìng le, dàn réng rán zhào cháng qù xué xiào.
He is sick but still goes to school as usual.

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.

照zhàoaccording to

照 means according to and 常 means usual; together they mean 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.

灬昭照

Meaning part形符xíngfú

灬Written in full as火huǒfire

Sound part声符shēngfú

昭

昭zhāo照zhào

Same sound today

照 uses 灬, a bottom form of 火 (fire), plus 昭 for the 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

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 5 Frequency & Duration

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