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," but they have different grammatical uses.

Used as an Adverb

Both 平时 and 平常 can be used as an adverb. 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 usually 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 watch the news often?
• 她 平时 不 买 奢侈 品 。Tā píngshí bú mǎi shēchǐ pǐn.She usually doesn't buy luxuries.

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, 2008 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 bù shì hěn píngcháng de yúlè huódòng?In China, is it common to go to a bar for entertainment?

An example dialogue:

• A: 你 平时 / 平常 做饭 吗 ？A: Nǐ píngshí / píngcháng zuò fàn ma?Do you often cook?
• B: 对的 。B: Duì de.Correct.
• A: 你 会 做 什么 菜 ？A: Nǐ huì zuò shénme cài?What can you cook?
• B: 都是 很 平常 的 菜 。B: Dōu shì hěn píngcháng de cài.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