Difference between revisions of "Comparing "pingshi" and "pingchang""

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
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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.
  
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== Used as an Adverb ==
  
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 pretty different grammatical uses.
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Both 平时 and 平常 can be used as an adverb. They are interchangeable in this case.
 
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== 平常 is used as noun ==
 
 
 
平常 can be used as a noun. It means "in ordinary times:, as in "ordinary times I usually meet with my friends after school."
 
 
 
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
Subj. + 平常 + Verb  
 
Subj. + 平常 + Verb  
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 我 <em>平常</em>  不 和 朋友 见面。<span class="trans">I ordinarily don't meet friends.</span>
 
* 你 <em>平常</em> 用 QQ 聊天 吗?<span class="trans">Do you usually use QQ to chat?</span>
 
</div>
 
 
== 平时 is used as noun ==
 
 
When 平时 is used as a noun it is the same as 平常 when it is used as a noun. 
 
  
=== Structure ===
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*你 <em>平常</em> 会 健身 吗 ?<span class="trans">Do you usually work out?</span>
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*我 <em>平常</em> 不 吃 零食 。<span class="trans">I usually don't eat snacks.</span>
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*你 <em>平时</em> 看 新闻 吗 ?<span class="trans">Do you watch the news often?</span>
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*她 <em>平时</em> 不 买 奢侈 品 。<span class="trans">She usually doesn't buy luxuries.</span>
  
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
Subj. + 平时 + Verb
 
 
</div>
 
 
=== Examples ===
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
* 我们 <em>平时</em> 都 不 在 家 吃饭,我们 在 外面 吃。<span class="trans">Most of the time, we don't eat in the house. We go out to eat.</span>
 
* 你 <em>平时</em> 会 看 新闻 吗?<span class="trans">Will you watch the news often?</span>
 
* 我 <em>平时</em> 不 买 这 种 很 便宜 但是 质量 很 差 的 东西。<span class="trans">I don't usually buy this kind of cheap, inferior stuff.</span>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== 平常 as an Adjective==
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== 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.
 
When 平常 is used as an adjective, it expresses the meaning of "common." 平时 cannot be used this way.
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[[Category:grammar comparison]]
 
[[Category:grammar comparison]]
{{Basic Grammar|平时|B2|平时 vs 平常|他平时就喜欢研究玉,他说你的这个不是很少见的玉,只是一种很平常的玉 。|grammar point|ASGJOGGG}}
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{{Basic Grammar|平时|B2|平时 vs. 平常|你 <em>平时</em> / <em>平常</em> 做饭 吗 ?|grammar point|ASGJOGGG}}
 
{{Rel char|平常}}
 
{{Rel char|平常}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing frequency}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing frequency}}

Revision as of 03:02, 16 January 2018

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

  • 平常 会 健身 吗 ?Do you usually work out?
  • 平常 不 吃 零食 。I usually don't eat snacks.
  • 平时 看 新闻 吗 ?Do you watch the news often?
  • 平时 不 买 奢侈 品 。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

平常的 + Noun

Examples

  • 清洁工 的 工作 很 平常 ,但是 也 很 重要 。The street cleaners are ordinary, but they are also very important.
  • 对 中国 来说 ,2008 年 是 很 不 平常 的 一 年 。To China, the year 2008 is not an ordinary year.

Example dialog

  • A: 你 平时 / 平常 做饭 吗 ?Do you often cook?
  • B: 对的 。Correct.
  • A: 你 会 做 什么 菜 ?What can you cook?
  • B: 都是 很 平常 的 菜 。Just those ordinary ones.

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK5