Comparing "changchang" and "jingchang"
Both 常常 (chángcháng) and 经常 (jīngcháng) express similar concepts, though using them properly requires attention to some small details.
Contents
- 1 Used as an Adverb
- 1.1 Structure
- 1.2 Examples
- 2 Used as an Adjective
- 3 Negative Form
- 4 See also
- 5 Sources and further reading
Used as an Adverb
常常 and 经常 both can be used to express frequency, meaning "often," and that the time between each instance it happens is very short. In this case, they are interchangeable.
Structure
常常 / 经常 + Verb
Examples
- 我 常常 收到 垃圾 短信 。
Wǒ chángcháng shōudào lājī duǎnxìn.
I often receive junk messages.
- 你们 经常 加班 吗 ？
Nǐmen jīngcháng jiābān ma?
Do you often work late?
- 他们 常常 吵架 。
Tāmen chángcháng chǎojià.
They often fight.
Note that 常常 or 经常 can't be placed before the subject:
- 常常 他 不 吃 早饭 。
Chángcháng tā bù chī zǎo fàn.
- 他 经常 不 吃 早饭 。
Tā jīngcháng bù chī zǎo fàn.
He often skips breakfast.
Note that 常 is often used for future actions in colloquial Chinese.
- 常 来 玩 ！
Cháng lái wán!
Come and hang out often!
- 常 联系 ！
Cháng liánxì!
Let's keep in touch!
Used as an Adjective
经常 can also be used as an adjective referring to things that happens very frequently, or you can use 经常性 instead. 常常 can't be used this way.
A few examples:
- 她 忘 带 钥匙 是 经常 的 事情 。
Tā wàng dài yàoshi shì jīngcháng de shìqing.
It's a regular thing for her to forget to bring her keys.
- 他 经常性 地 迟到。
tā jīngchángxìng de chídào.
He is often late.
Negative Form
经常 and 常常 can share the same negative form 不常. You can also simply use 不 to negate both 经常 and 常常, although 不常常 is not super common.
A few examples:
- 他 不 常 抽烟 。
Tā bù cháng chōuyān.
He doesn't smoke very often.
- 我 妈妈 不 常 网购 。
Wǒ māma bù cháng wǎng gòu.
My mother doesn't often shop online.
See also
- Comparing "pingshi" and "pingchang"
Sources and further reading
Books
- HSK Standard Course 5上 (pp. 119) →buy