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

 
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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
Both 常常 (chángcháng) and 经常 (jīngcháng) 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.  
  
 
== Used as an Adverb ==
 
== Used as an Adverb ==
  
常常 and 经常 both can be used to express frequency, meaning "often," and that the time between each time it happens is very short. In this case, they are interchangeable.  
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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 ===
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*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 junk messages.</span>
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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>
*你们 <em>经常</em> 加班 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>jīngcháng</em> jiābān ma?</span><span class="trans">Do you often work late?</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>
*他们 <em>常常</em> 吵架 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>chángcháng</em> chǎojià.</span><span class="trans">They often fight.</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>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Note that 常常 or 经常 can't be placed before the subject:
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Neither 常常 nor 经常 can be placed before the subject:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
 
<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>
 
<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>
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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>
 
<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>
 
<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>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Note that 常 is often used for future actions in colloquial Chinese.
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Note that 常 (by itself) is used for ''future'' frequent actions in colloquial Chinese.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
*<em>常</em> 来 玩 !<span class="pinyin"><em>Cháng</em> lái wán!</span><span class="trans">Come and hang out often!</span>
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*<em>常</em> 来 玩 !<span class="pinyin"><em>Cháng</em> lái wán!</span><span class="trans">Come hang out often!</span>
 
*<em>常</em> 联系 !<span class="pinyin"><em>Cháng</em> liánxì!</span><span class="trans">Let's keep in touch!</span>
 
*<em>常</em> 联系 !<span class="pinyin"><em>Cháng</em> liánxì!</span><span class="trans">Let's keep in touch!</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
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== Used as an Adjective ==
 
== Used as an Adjective ==
  
经常 can also be used as an adjective referring to things that happens very frequently, or you can use 经常性 instead. 常常 can't be used this way.
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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 few examples:
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A simple example:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
 
*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>
 
*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>
*处理 顾客 投诉 是 酒店 经理 <em>经常性</em> 的 工作。<span class="pinyin">Chǔlǐ gùkè tóusù shì jiǔdiàn jīnglǐ <em>jīngchángxìng</em> de gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">It's a common job for a hotel's manager to deal with customers' complaints.</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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== Negative Form ==
 
== Negative Form ==
  
经常 and 常常 can share the same negative form '''不常'''. You can simply use 不 to negate 经常 while you can't do that with 常常.
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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.
  
 
A few examples:
 
A few examples:
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
*他 <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>
 
*他 <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>
*我 妈妈 <em>不 </em> 网购 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ māma <em>bù cháng</em> wǎng gòu.</span><span class="trans">My mother doesn't do online shopping often.</span>
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*我 妈妈 <em>不 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>
 
 
Try not to say:
 
 
 
<ul>
 
<li class="x">我 <em>不 常常</em>  看 电视 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù chángcháng</em> kàn diànshì.</span><span class="trans">I don't watch television very often.</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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[[Category:grammar comparison]]
 
[[Category:grammar comparison]]
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{{HSK|HSK5}}
 
{{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}}
 
{{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}}
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{{Used for|Referring to habitual actions}}
 
{{Used for|Referring to habitual actions}}
 
{{Similar|Comparing "pingshi" and "pingchang"}}
 
{{Similar|Comparing "pingshi" and "pingchang"}}
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{{Similar|Comparing "jingchang" and "wangwang"}}
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{{Translation|often}}
 
{{Comparison|Adverbs}}
 
{{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