Difference between revisions of "Comparing "changchang" and "jingchang""

 
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{{Grammar Box}}
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{{Grammar Box}}  
  
Both 常常 and 经常 express similar concepts, though using them properly requires attention to some small details.  
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Both 常常 (chángcháng) and 经常 (jīngcháng) are [[adverb]]s expressing the idea of "often," though their usage differs in some small details.  
  
== Both are used as adverbs expressing frequency ==
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== Used as an Adverb ==
 
 
常常 and 经常 both express that the action happened many times, and that the time between each time it happens is very short.
 
  
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常常 and 经常 both can be used to express frequency, meaning "often," and that the time between each instance something happens is very short. In this case, they are interchangeable.
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
常常/经常 + Verb
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常常 / 经常 + Verb
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 奶奶 去世 以前,我 <em>常常</em> 去 看 她。<span class="trans">Before Grandma died, I often went to see her.</span>
 
* 以前, 我 <em>经常</em> 不 吃 早 饭。<span class="trans">Before, I often didn't eat breakfast.</span>
 
</div>
 
  
== 经常 can also be used to describe actions in  the future==
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*我 <em>常常</em> 收到 垃圾 短信 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>chángcháng</em> shōudào lājī duǎnxìn.</span><span class="trans">I often receive spam texts.</span>
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*你们 <em>经常</em> 加班 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>jīngcháng</em> jiābān ma?</span><span class="trans">Do you guys often work overtime?</span>
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*他们 <em>常常</em> 吵架 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>chángcháng</em> chǎojià.</span><span class="trans">They often argue.</span>
  
经常 can also be used in actions in the future. You cannot do this with 常常。
 
 
 
=== Structure ===
 
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
经常 + Verb
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Examples ===
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Neither 常常 nor 经常 can be placed before the subject:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 你 以后 要 <em>经常</em> 做 运动。<span class="trans">Later, you are going to exercise often.</span>
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<ul>
* 这个项目 做完 以后, 我 会 <em>经常</em> 陪 你。<span class="trans">Once this project is done, then I can go with you more often.</span>
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<li class="x"><em>常常</em> 他 不 吃 早饭 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Chángcháng</em> tā bù chī zǎo fàn.</span></li>
</div>
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<li class="x"><em>经常</em> 他 不 吃 早饭 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Jīngcháng</em> tā bù chī zǎo fàn.</span></li>
 
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<li class="o">他 <em>经常</em> 不 吃 早饭 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>jīngcháng</em> bù chī zǎo fàn.</span><span class="trans">He often skips breakfast.</span></li>
== 经常 is also used as an adjective ==
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</ul>
 
 
经常 is not only a time adverb, it can also be an adjective. When using it as an adjective, place it before the noun or using it in combination with 性 to make it into 经常性. You cannot do thing with 常常.
 
 
 
 
 
=== Structure ===
 
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
经常 + Noun
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Examples ===
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Note that 常 (by itself) is used for ''future'' frequent actions in colloquial Chinese.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 她 忘记 带 钥匙 是 <em>经常</em> 的 事情。<span class="trans">Her forgetting to bring a key is a frequent occurrence.</span>
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*<em></em> 来 玩 !<span class="pinyin"><em>Cháng</em> lái wán!</span><span class="trans">Come hang out often!</span>
* 接待 客户 <em>经常</em> 性 工作。<span class="trans">Greeting customers is a common job.</span>
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*<em>常</em> 联系 !<span class="pinyin"><em>Cháng</em> liánxì!</span><span class="trans">Let's keep in touch!</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Negative form “不常”/“不经常”==
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== Used as an Adjective ==
  
The negative form of 经常 is 不经常. 常常 is usually 不常 in it's negative form.
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Although not so commonly used in this way, 经常 can also be used as an adjective referring to things that happens very frequently. 常常 can't be used this way.
  
 +
A simple example:
  
=== Structure ===
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<div class="liju">
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
不 + 经常
 
</div>
 
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
不 + 常
 
</div>
 
  
=== Examples ===
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*她 忘 带 钥匙 是 <em>经常</em> 的 事情 。<span class="pinyin">Tā wàng dài yàoshi shì <em>jīngcháng</em> de shìqing.</span><span class="trans">It's a regular thing for her to forget to bring her keys.</span>
  
<div class="liju">
 
* 我 <em>不经常</em> 看 电视。<span class="trans">I don't watch television very often.</span>
 
* 他 <em>不常</em> 来 我 家。<span class="trans">He doesn't come to my house very often.</span>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Examples of right and wrong sentences==
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== Negative Form ==
  
<div class="liju">
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经常 and 常常 can share the same negative form '''不常'''. You can also simply use 不 to negate both 经常 and 常常, although 不常常 is not super common.
<ul>
 
<li class="x">你 以后 要 <em>常常</em> 做 运动。<span class="expl">"常常" can't be used in the future.</span></li>
 
<li class="o">你 以后 要 <em>经常</em> 做 运动。<span class="trans">Later, you are going to exercise often.</span></li>
 
<li class="x">这 是 <em>常常</em> 的 事。<span class="expl">"常常" can not be an adjective.</span></li>
 
<li class="o">这 是 <em>经常</em> 的 事。<span class="trans">This is a common event.</span></li>
 
<li class="x">我 知道 他 <em>不常常</em> 一个人 喝酒。<span class="expl">The abbreviation should be "不常".</span></li>
 
<li class="o">我 知道 他 <em>不常</em> 一个人 喝酒。<span class="trans">I know he doesn't often drink alone.</li> </span>
 
<li class="x">我 知道 他 <em>不经常</em> 一个人 喝酒。</li>
 
</ul>
 
</div>
 
  
== Example dialog ==
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A few examples:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* A: 你 以前<em>经常</em> 不 吃 早 饭 吗?
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*<em>不 常</em> 抽烟 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>bù cháng</em> chōuyān.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't smoke very often.</span>
* B: 对,我 <em>常常</em> 睡 到 中午 十二点。
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*我 妈妈 <em>经常</em> 网购 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ māma <em>bù jīngcháng</em> wǎng gòu.</span><span class="trans">My mother doesn't often shop online.</span>
* A: 不 <em>经常</em> 吃 早 饭 不 是 个 好 习惯。
 
* B: 我 知道。我 决定 以后 <em>经常</em> 吃 早饭。
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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* [[Comparing "pingshi" and "pingchang"]]
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
  
=== Websites ===
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=== Books ===
 
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 5上|119}}
[http://www.academia.edu/2280709/2012_-_The_two_types_of_verbal_plurality_the_case_of_jingchang_usually_and_changchang_often The two types of verbal plurality: the case of jingchang (經 常) ‘usually’ and changchang (常常) ‘often’]
 
 
 
  
 
[[Category:grammar comparison]]
 
[[Category:grammar comparison]]
{{Basic Grammar|常常|B2|常常 vs 经常|我 <em>常常</em>  运动 , 我 以后 要<em>经常</em> 运动 。|grammar point|ASGE8FLP}}
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{{HSK|HSK5}}
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{{Basic Grammar|常常|B1|常常 vs. 经常|我 <em>不 常</em>  运动 ,我 需要 <em>经常</em> 运动 。|grammar point|ASGE8FLP}}
 
{{Rel char|经常}}
 
{{Rel char|经常}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing frequency}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing frequency}}
 
{{Used for|Describing actions}}
 
{{Used for|Describing actions}}
 
{{Used for|Referring to habitual actions}}
 
{{Used for|Referring to habitual actions}}
{{Comparison}}
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{{Similar|Comparing "pingshi" and "pingchang"}}
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{{Similar|Comparing "jingchang" and "wangwang"}}
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{{Translation|often}}
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{{Comparison|Adverbs}}

Latest revision as of 07:34, 9 July 2021

Both 常常 (chángcháng) and 经常 (jīngcháng) are adverbs expressing the idea of "often," though their usage differs in some small details.

Used as an Adverb

常常 and 经常 both can be used to express frequency, meaning "often," and that the time between each instance something happens is very short. In this case, they are interchangeable.

Structure

常常 / 经常 + Verb

Examples

  • 常常 收到 垃圾 短信 。chángcháng shōudào lājī duǎnxìn.I often receive spam texts.
  • 你们 经常 加班 吗 ?Nǐmen jīngcháng jiābān ma?Do you guys often work overtime?
  • 他们 常常 吵架 。Tāmen chángcháng chǎojià.They often argue.

Neither 常常 nor 经常 can be placed before the subject:

  • 常常 他 不 吃 早饭 。Chángcháng tā bù chī zǎo fàn.
  • 经常 他 不 吃 早饭 。Jīngcháng tā bù chī zǎo fàn.
  • 经常 不 吃 早饭 。jīngcháng bù chī zǎo fàn.He often skips breakfast.

Note that 常 (by itself) is used for future frequent actions in colloquial Chinese.

  • 来 玩 !Cháng lái wán!Come hang out often!
  • 联系 !Cháng liánxì!Let's keep in touch!

Used as an Adjective

Although not so commonly used in this way, 经常 can also be used as an adjective referring to things that happens very frequently. 常常 can't be used this way.

A simple example:

  • 她 忘 带 钥匙 是 经常 的 事情 。Tā wàng dài yàoshi shì jīngcháng de shìqing.It's a regular thing for her to forget to bring her keys.

Negative Form

经常 and 常常 can share the same negative form 不常. You can also simply use 不 to negate both 经常 and 常常, although 不常常 is not super common.

A few examples:

  • 不 常 抽烟 。bù cháng chōuyān.He doesn't smoke very often.
  • 我 妈妈 不 经常 网购 。Wǒ māma bù jīngcháng wǎng gòu.My mother doesn't often shop online.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books