Comparing "pingshi" and "pingchang"

平时 (píngshí) and 平常 (píngcháng) look very similar (after all, they do start with 平), and they have similar meanings of "often" or "usually," but they have slightly different uses.

Both 平时 and 平常 Are Used as Adverbs

Both 平时 and 平常 can be used as adverbs. They are interchangeable in this case.

Structure

Subj. + 平常 + Verb

Examples

• 你 平常 会 健身 吗 ？Nǐ píngcháng huì jiànshēn ma?Do you often work out?
• 我 平常 不 吃 零食 。Wǒ píngcháng bù chī língshí.I usually don't eat snacks.
• 你 平时 看 新闻 吗 ？Nǐ píngshí kàn xīnwén ma?Do you usually watch the news?
• 她 平时 不 买 奢侈品 。Tā píngshí bú mǎi shēchǐpǐn.She usually doesn't buy luxury goods.

平常 as an Adjective

When 平常 is used as an adjective, it expresses the meaning of "common." 平时 cannot be used this way.

Structure

Subj. + 很 + 平常

平常 + 的 + Noun

Examples

• 清洁工 的 工作 很 平常 ，但是 也 很 重要 。Qīngjiégōng de gōngzuò hěn píngcháng, dànshì yě hěn zhòngyào.The work of sanitary workers is very ordinary, but it is also very important.
• 这 种 事 很 平常 。Zhè zhǒng shì hěn píngcháng.This kind of thing is very common.
• 对 中国 来说 ，2008 年 是 很 不 平常 的 一 年 。Duì Zhōngguó lái shuō, èr-líng-líng-bā nián shì hěn bù píngcháng de yī nián.For China, 2008 was not an ordinary year.
• 在 中国 ，去 酒吧 是 不 是 很 平常 的 娱乐 活动 ？Zài Zhōngguó, qù jiǔbā shì bu shì hěn píngcháng de yúlè huódòng?In China, is it common to go to a bar for entertainment?

Example Dialog

• A:你 平时 做 什么 菜 ？Nǐ píngshí zuò shénme cài?What do you usually cook?
• B:都 是 很 平常 的 菜 。Dōu shì hěn píngcháng de cài.They're all just ordinary dishes.

Sources and further reading

Books

• 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 1051) [ →buy]
• 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 1053) [ →buy]
• HSK Standard Course 5上 (pp. 145) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

HSK5