经常 (jīng cháng) — often, frequently | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Often, frequently. Use interchangeably with 常常 in everyday speech; 时常 is slightly more written and emphasizes regular recurrence.

adverb

oftenfrequently

经常。
Wǒ jīng cháng zuò gōng gòng qì chē qù shàng bān.
I often take the bus to work.
经常。
Tā jīng cháng zài zhōu mò kàn shū.
She often reads on weekends.
经常？
Nǐ jīng cháng pǎo bù ma?
Do you often go running?

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

经 and 常 both point to regularity, so together they mean often.

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 經; 经 is its simplified writing.

糹巠經

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糹Written in full as糸mìsilk; thread

Sound part声符shēngfú

巠

巠jīng經jīng

Same sound today

The traditional form 經 combines 糹 (silk; thread) with 巠, which gives 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

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