Comparing "changchang" and "wangwang"

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.

肯定形式

"常常" simply means something happens frequently and it's not necessarily regularly.

Subject + 常常 + Verb

Examples

• 他 常常 迟到。He is often late.
• 小时候，我 常常 去 奶奶 家 过年。When I was young,I used to spend the Chinese New Year at my grandma's place.
• 我 的 老板 常常带 我 去 出差。My boss often take me on business trips.

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。

Subject + 常常 + Verb

Examples

• 飞机常常晚点。The flights often get postponed.
• 天气 不 好 的 时候，飞机常常/往往晚点。The flights often get postponed when the weather is bad.
• 他常常 去 健身。He works out a lot.
• 他常常 /往往周末 去 健身。He often works out on weekends.
• 他常常很害羞。He easily gets shy.
• 他常常/往往一见到他喜欢的女生就很害羞。He easily gets shy every time he saw girls he likes.