adverb / adjective HSK 2
often · frequently · common · ordinary · constant
Meaning
常 primarily means 'often' or 'frequently' when used as an adverb. As an adjective, it describes something as common, ordinary, or constant. It appears in many everyday expressions and compounds related to regularity and normalcy.
Usage
Native speakers use 常 in both spoken and written contexts. It often appears in the pattern '常常' (very often) for emphasis, or in compounds like '常见' (commonly seen) and '日常' (daily). It's slightly more formal than the colloquial '老是' but less formal than '经常' in some contexts.
Examples
- 01我常去那家咖啡馆。.I often go to that coffee shop.
- 02这是很常见的问题。.This is a very common problem.
Common collocations
- 常见commonly seen
- 常识common sense, general knowledge
- 非常very, extremely
- 正常normal
Antonyms
Origin
The character 常 originally depicted a piece of cloth (巾) hanging down, symbolizing something constant or unchanging. Over time it evolved to mean regular, frequent, and ordinary.