常

cháng

巾 + 𫩠

HSK 3.0Level 3

Definitions

cháng (adverb) often; frequently

cháng (adjective) common; regular; normal

cháng (adjective) constant; always

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 巾 represents the meaning and 尚 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning, "lower garment", now written as 裳. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Semantic: 巾 Phonetic: 尚

About

常 is a phonosemantic compound: 巾 (jīn) 'cloth' gives the meaning, and 尚 (shàng) the sound. Its original meaning was 'lower garment', now written 裳. This sense fell out of use when the character was borrowed phonetically for abstract concepts of constancy and regularity. Today it means 'common, ordinary, frequent', or something that happens often without much variation.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我常常早起。

Wǒ chángcháng zǎo qǐ.

I often wake up early.

妈妈经常做面包。

Māma jīngcháng zuò miànbāo.

Mom often makes bread.

天气变化是正常的。

Tiānqì biànhuà shì zhèngcháng de.

Weather changes are normal.

我们通常周末去购物。

Wǒmen tōngcháng zhōumò qù gòuwù.

We usually go shopping on weekends.

他不常看电视。

Tā bù cháng kàn diànshì.

He doesn't often watch TV.

她常常在图书馆学习到很晚。

Tā chángcháng zài túshūguǎn xuéxí dào hěn wǎn.

She often studies in the library until very late.

保持常态对心理健康很重要。

Bǎochí chángtài duì xīnlǐ jiànkāng hěn zhòngyào.

Maintaining a normal state is important for mental health.

在异常情况下，我们必须采取常规措施。

Zài yìcháng qíngkuàng xià, wǒmen bìxū cǎiqǔ chángguī cuòshī.

In abnormal situations, we must take conventional measures.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 巾

Component: 𫩠

Example Words