Comparing "changchang" and "jingchang"

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Both 常常 (chángcháng) and 经常 (jīngcháng) mean "often" or “frequently”.

In most circumstances 常常 and 经常 can be used interchangeably.

	常常 (chángcháng)	经常 (jīngcháng)
Meaning	usually	habitually or routinely
Part of Speech	adverb	adverb and adjective
Formality	formal and informal	formal and informal

The key difference between these words is 常常 emphasizes usually (more often than not), whereas 经常 emphasizes habitually or routinely (a repeated patterned action).

Similarities

Common Phrases

These phrases work with both 常常 and 经常, although the meaning is slightly different.

～生病

• 常常 生病 chángcháng shēngbìng usually get sick
• 经常 生病 jīngcháng shēngbìng habitually get sick

～锻炼身体

• 常常 锻炼身体 chángcháng duànliàn shēntǐ usually workout
• 经常 锻炼身体 jīngcháng duànliàn shēntǐ routinely workout

～看电视

• 常常 看电视 chángcháng kàndiànshì usually watch TV
• 经常 看电视 jīngcháng kàndiànshì routinely watch TV

～玩电脑

• 常常 玩电脑 chángcháng wán diànnǎo usually play on the computer
• 经常 玩电脑 jīngcháng wán diànnǎo habitually play on the computer

Example Sentences

In the following sentences, both 常常 and 经常 can be used interchangeably.

• Using 常常 the sentences emphasize “usually”, using 经常 the sentences emphasize “routinely” or “habitually”.

Differences

Example Sentences

In the following sentences, it is best to use 经常（habitually or routinely repeated actions):

• 我 经常 坐 地铁 去 上班 。
• 同事 对 我 很 好 ， 经常 帮 我 。
• 我 经常 去 这 家 餐厅 吃饭 。
• 我 最近 经常 练习 说 中文 。
• 我 不 经常 加班 。
• 上海 堵车 是 经常 的 事情。

Example Sentences

In the following sentences, it is best to use 常常

• 我 常常 加班 。
• 我 常常 去 出差 。
• 我 常常 用 微信 和 朋友 视频。
• 周末 我 常常 跟 朋友 聊天 。
• 飞机 常常 晚点 。
• 我 和 女朋友 常常 去 公园 散步 。

Advanced Differences

经常 is an adjective as well as an adverb, therefore it can be used differently than 常常. For more details on the use of 经常 and a grammar-based comparison of 常常 and 经常 please click here to visit our Grammar Wiki page: Grammar Wiki comparing “changchang” and “jingchang”