Meaning of 通常
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- regular; usual; normal
- usually; normally
How to use 通常
通常 describes what happens as a general rule, and it often comes before the verb or at the start of a sentence. It can also modify a noun, as in 通常情况 (tōngcháng qíngkuàng, normal circumstances). Example: 我通常七点起床。(Wǒ tōngcháng qī diǎn qǐchuáng.) I usually get up at seven.
通 (tōng) means to go through, and 常 (cháng) means constant or ordinary. Something that goes through the same way constantly is what usually happens.
Common mistake: Learners often swap 通常 with 经常 (jīngcháng) or 常常 (chángcháng), but those stress frequency (often), while 通常 stresses the normal pattern (usually). Saying 我通常去过北京 sounds wrong because 通常 describes a habit, not a single past experience.
通常 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.
通 tōng · to go through · 10 strokes
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常 cháng · always · 11 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 通常.
| 非常 | fēicháng | very; really; unusual; extraordinary |
| 常常 | chángcháng | frequently; often |
| 通过 | tōngguò | to pass through; to get through; to adopt (a resolution); to pass (legislation) |
| 正常 | zhèngcháng | normal; regular |
| 经常 | jīngcháng | frequently; constantly; regularly; often; day-to-day; everyday; daily |
| 通知 | tōngzhī | to notify; to inform |
| 普通 | pǔtōng | common; ordinary |
| 平常 | píngcháng | ordinary; common |
| 交通 | jiāotōng | to be connected; traffic |
| 常见 | cháng jiàn | commonly seen; common |
| 常用 | cháng yòng | in common usage |
| 普通话 | pǔtōnghuà | Putonghua; standard Mandarin |
Questions about 通常
What does 通常 mean?
通常 (tōngcháng) means "regular; usual; normal; usually; normally" and is used as a adjective.
How do you write 通常?
通常 is made of 2 characters: 通 (10 strokes), 常 (11 strokes). That is 21 strokes in total.
Is 通常 an HSK word?
Yes. 通常 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 通常 and 正常?
通常 means usually or as a rule and describes what typically happens. 正常 (zhèngcháng) means normal as opposed to abnormal, like 体温正常 (tǐwēn zhèngcháng, body temperature is normal). You would not use 正常 to mean usually.
Can 通常 go at the beginning of a sentence?
Yes. 通常 can come before the subject, as in 通常他坐地铁上班 (Tōngcháng tā zuò dìtiě shàngbān, Usually he takes the subway to work). It can also follow the subject, as in 他通常坐地铁上班.