Meaning of 平常
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- ordinary
- common
- usually
- ordinarily
How to use 平常
平常 works as an adjective meaning ordinary, and as a time word meaning usually, often placed at the start of a sentence or before the verb. Example: 我平常七点起床。 (Wǒ píngcháng qī diǎn qǐchuáng.) I usually get up at seven.
平 (píng) means flat or level, and 常 (cháng) means constant or often. Something flat and constant is ordinary, the way things usually are.
Common mistake: Learners often swap 平常 with 经常 (jīngcháng). 平常 means usually, in contrast to special times, while 经常 means frequently. So 我经常去 means I go often, not I usually go.
平常 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
平 píng · flat · 5 strokes
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常 cháng · always · 11 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 平常.
| 非常 | fēicháng | very; really; unusual; extraordinary |
| 常常 | chángcháng | frequently; often |
| 正常 | zhèngcháng | normal; regular |
| 经常 | jīngcháng | frequently; constantly; regularly; often; day-to-day; everyday; daily |
| 公平 | gōngpíng | fair; impartial |
| 平时 | píngshí | ordinarily; in normal times |
| 水平 | shuǐpíng | horizontal; level; a standard; a level (of ability, development etc) |
| 平安 | píng'ān | safe and sound; well |
| 平等 | píngděng | equal; equality |
| 常见 | cháng jiàn | commonly seen; common |
| 常用 | cháng yòng | in common usage |
| 一路平安 | yīlù-píng'ān | to have a pleasant journey; Bon voyage! |
Questions about 平常
What does 平常 mean?
平常 (píngcháng) means "ordinary; common" and is used as a noun and adjective.
How do you write 平常?
平常 is made of 2 characters: 平 (5 strokes), 常 (11 strokes). That is 16 strokes in total.
Is 平常 an HSK word?
Yes. 平常 is on the HSK 2 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 平常 and 平时?
As time words they are nearly interchangeable, both meaning usually or in normal times. Only 平常 can also be an adjective meaning ordinary, as in 很平常的事 (hěn píngcháng de shì), a very ordinary thing.
How is 平常 different from 正常?
平常 means ordinary or not special. 正常 (zhèngcháng) means normal as opposed to wrong or broken, as in 体温正常 (tǐwēn zhèngcháng), body temperature is normal.