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

 
(52 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Stub}}
 
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
If something happens a lot,we say that it is "often",which in Chinese, the words are "常常" (chángcháng) and "往往" (wǎngwǎng). However, they are used in different ways and different places, so this article will help you distinguish when and where to use them.
+
If something happens frequently, two useful words to describe this concept of "often" in Chinese are 常常 (chángcháng) and 往往 (wǎngwǎng). However, they are used in different ways and different places, so this article will help you distinguish when and where to use them.
  
==肯定形式==
+
== Declarative Sentences Differentiation ==
  
"常常" simply means something happens frequently and it's not necessarily regularly.
+
=== Basic Differences ===
  
<div class="jiegou">
+
常常 simply means something happens frequently and not necessarily regularly, and is also not restricted to a certain precondition. 往往 is used in certain conditions to mean how things can be or are like, sort of like "tend to." It's a conclusion or judgment of a regular situation. 往往 has nothing to do with how often something happens. When using 往往, the sentence itself usually has a kind of condition of an occurring situation or behavior, for example, 商场往往周末的时候比较热闹。This is where 往往 differs from 常常. For the most part, you can translate 常常 as "often," where as you can translate 往往 as "usually." Also, 常常 can omit a 常, but you 往往 cannot omit a 往.
 +
 
 +
==== Examples ====
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
  
Subject + 常常 + Verb
+
* 他 <em>常常</em> 迟到 。<span class="trans">He often arrives late.</span>
 +
* 他们 结婚 快 三十 年 了,还是<em>常常</em> 吵架。<span class="trans">They've been married for almost 30 years. Nevertheless, they fight a lot.</span>
 +
* 有钱人 <em>往往</em> 比较 迷信。<span class="trans">Rich people are usually more superstitious.</span>
 +
* 女人 <em>往往</em> 比 男人 长寿 。<span class="trans"> Women usually live longer than men.</span>
 +
* 过年 的 时候,上海 <em>往往</em> 比较 安静。<span class="trans">It's usually more quiet here in Shanghai during Chinese New Year.</span>
 +
* 质量 好 的 产品 <em>往往</em> 不 会 很 便宜。<span class="trans">Products of good quality usually wouldn't be expensive.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
===Examples===
+
=== Other Differences ===
 +
 
 +
"常常" can be used in an imperative sentence expressing a suggestion. "往往" cannot be used in this kind of situation.
 +
 
 +
==== Examples ====
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
*<em>常常</em> 迟到。<span class="trans">He is often late.</span>
+
 
*小时候,我 <em>常常</em> 去 奶奶 家 过年。<span class="trans">When I was young,I used to spend the Chinese New Year at my grandma's place.</span>
+
* 你们 <em>常常</em> 见面 吗 ?<span class="trans">Do you meet often?</span>
*我 的 老板 <em>常常</em>带 我 出差。<span class="trans">My boss often take me on business trips.</span>
+
* 你 应该 <em>常常</em> 去 运动。<span class="trans">You should exercise more often.</span>
 +
*不要<em>常常</em>吃 辣,对 皮肤 不好。<span class="trans">Better not eat spicy food too often. It's not good for your skin.</span>
 +
* 等 我 退休 了,就 可以 <em>常常</em> 去 旅行 了。<span class="trans">I can travel more often when I retire.</span>
 +
* 我 不 在 时候,你 要 帮 我 <em>常常</em> 去 看看 她。<span class="trans">You need to watch her more often for me when I'm not here.</span>
 +
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
表示有规律性的现象或者推断时,"常常"和“往往”都可以用,但是用“往往“必须说明规律发生的前提条件,用”常常“则可说可不说。
+
== The difference between the negative and question sentences ==
 +
 
 +
The negated version of "常常" is "不常",expressing "very rarely." "往往" does not have a negated "不往往," but can appear in negative sentences, mostly expressed as "往往不/没." Also, "常常" can be used in question sentences, but "往往" cannot be.
 +
 
 +
==== Structure ====
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 +
Subj. + 不常 + Verb
 +
</div>
 +
 +
<div class="jiegou">
 +
Subj. + 往往 + 不 / 没 + Verb
 +
</div>
 +
 +
==== Examples ====
 +
 +
<div class="liju">
  
Subject + 常常 + Verb
+
* 我 <em>不常</em> 在 外面 吃饭。<span class="trans">I don't go out for dinner often.</span>
 +
* 我 老板 <em>不常</em> 来公司。<span class="trans">My boss doesn't come to the office often.</span>
 +
* 我们 是 很好 的 朋友,但是 我们<em>不常</em>见面。<span class="trans">We're good friends, but we don't see each other often.</span>
 +
* 有钱 人 <em>往往</em> 很 难 找到 真正 喜欢 自己 的 人。<span class="trans">It's usually very hard for rich people to find someone who truly loves them.</span>
 +
* 私立 学校 <em>往往</em> 比较 贵。<span class="trans">Comparatively, private schools are usually expensive.</span>
 +
* 下雨天 <em>往往</em> 不 太 好 打车。<span class="trans">It's usually not very easy to get a taxi in rainy days.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
===Examples===
+
== Sources and further reading ==
  
<div class="liju">
+
=== Websites ===
*飞机<em>常常</em>晚点。<span class="trans">The flights often get postponed.</span>
+
* [http://wenku.baidu.com/view/04197ecc76a20029bd642db3.html]
*天气 不 好 的 时候,飞机<em>常常</em>/<em>往往</em>晚点。<span class="trans">The flights often get postponed when the weather is bad.</span>
+
 
*他<em>常常</em> 去 健身。<span class="trans">He works out a lot.</span>
+
=== Books ===
*他<em>常常</em> /<em>往往</em>周末 去 健身。<span class="trans">He often works out on weekends.</span>
+
{{Source|HSK Standard Course 4上|97}}
*他<em>常常</em>很害羞。<span class="trans">He easily gets shy.</span>
+
 
*他<em>常常</em>/<em>往往</em>一见到他喜欢的女生就很害羞。<span class="trans">He easily gets shy every time he saw girls he likes.</span></div>
+
[[Category:grammar comparison]]
 +
{{HSK|HSK4}}
 +
{{Basic Grammar|常常|B2|常常 vs. 往往|我 <em>不 常</em> 运动 ,我 <em>往往</em> 呆在 家里 。|grammar point|ASGE09B4}}
 +
{{Rel char|经常}}
 +
{{Used for|Expressing frequency}}
 +
{{Used for|Referring to habitual actions}}
 +
{{Similar|Comparing "changchang" and "jingchang"}}
 +
{{Similar|Comparing "pingshi" and "pingchang"}}
 +
{{Translation|often}}
 +
{{Translation|usually}}
 +
{{Comparison|Adverbs}}

Latest revision as of 07:35, 9 July 2021

Chinese-grammar-wiki-常常.jpg

If something happens frequently, two useful words to describe this concept of "often" in Chinese are 常常 (chángcháng) and 往往 (wǎngwǎng). However, they are used in different ways and different places, so this article will help you distinguish when and where to use them.

Declarative Sentences Differentiation

Basic Differences

常常 simply means something happens frequently and not necessarily regularly, and is also not restricted to a certain precondition. 往往 is used in certain conditions to mean how things can be or are like, sort of like "tend to." It's a conclusion or judgment of a regular situation. 往往 has nothing to do with how often something happens. When using 往往, the sentence itself usually has a kind of condition of an occurring situation or behavior, for example, 商场往往周末的时候比较热闹。This is where 往往 differs from 常常. For the most part, you can translate 常常 as "often," where as you can translate 往往 as "usually." Also, 常常 can omit a 常, but you 往往 cannot omit a 往.

Examples

  • 常常 迟到 。He often arrives late.
  • 他们 结婚 快 三十 年 了,还是常常 吵架。They've been married for almost 30 years. Nevertheless, they fight a lot.
  • 有钱人 往往 比较 迷信。Rich people are usually more superstitious.
  • 女人 往往 比 男人 长寿 。 Women usually live longer than men.
  • 过年 的 时候,上海 往往 比较 安静。It's usually more quiet here in Shanghai during Chinese New Year.
  • 质量 好 的 产品 往往 不 会 很 便宜。Products of good quality usually wouldn't be expensive.

Other Differences

"常常" can be used in an imperative sentence expressing a suggestion. "往往" cannot be used in this kind of situation.

Examples

  • 你们 常常 见面 吗 ?Do you meet often?
  • 你 应该 常常 去 运动。You should exercise more often.
  • 不要常常吃 辣,对 皮肤 不好。Better not eat spicy food too often. It's not good for your skin.
  • 等 我 退休 了,就 可以 常常 去 旅行 了。I can travel more often when I retire.
  • 我 不 在 的 时候,你 要 帮 我 常常 去 看看 她。You need to watch her more often for me when I'm not here.

The difference between the negative and question sentences

The negated version of "常常" is "不常",expressing "very rarely." "往往" does not have a negated "不往往," but can appear in negative sentences, mostly expressed as "往往不/没." Also, "常常" can be used in question sentences, but "往往" cannot be.

Structure

Subj. + 不常 + Verb

Subj. + 往往 + 不 / 没 + Verb

Examples

  • 不常 在 外面 吃饭。I don't go out for dinner often.
  • 我 老板 不常 来公司。My boss doesn't come to the office often.
  • 我们 是 很好 的 朋友,但是 我们不常见面。We're good friends, but we don't see each other often.
  • 有钱 人 往往 很 难 找到 真正 喜欢 自己 的 人。It's usually very hard for rich people to find someone who truly loves them.
  • 私立 学校 往往 比较 贵。Comparatively, private schools are usually expensive.
  • 下雨天 往往 不 太 好 打车。It's usually not very easy to get a taxi in rainy days.

Sources and further reading

Websites

Books