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常chángoften; frequently

HSK 3word

By Chinese Copilot · Last updated

常 (cháng) means "often" or "frequently." This adverb goes before the verb to say that something happens again and again, as in 我常去那儿 (I often go there). In negatives, 不常 means "not often." It can also mean "common" or "constant" in some fixed words.

What does 常 mean?

  1. 1.

    often; frequentlyadverb

What does the character 常 mean?

  • 常often; frequently

How do you use 常?

常 goes before the verb; 不常 means not often, and 常常 is a similar, more spoken form.

Patterns

  • 常 + verb

    周末我常在家看书。

    Zhōumò wǒ cháng zài jiā kàn shū.

    On weekends I often read at home.

What are some examples of 常 in a sentence?

  1. HSK 1

    我常去那家饭店吃饭。

    Wǒ cháng qù nà jiā fàndiàn chīfàn.

    I often go to that restaurant to eat.

  2. HSK 1

    他不常给我打电话。

    Tā bù cháng gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.

    He doesn't often call me.

How is 常 used in a conversation?

  1. Speaker A:

    你常来这个公园吗？

    Nǐ cháng lái zhège gōngyuán ma?

    Do you come to this park often?

  2. Speaker B:

    常来，我每天早上在这儿跑步。

    Cháng lái, wǒ měi tiān zǎoshang zài zhèr pǎobù.

    Yes, I run here every morning.

  3. Speaker A:

    每次跑多长时间？

    Měi cì pǎo duō cháng shíjiān?

    How long do you run each time?

  4. Speaker B:

    差不多半个小时。

    Chàbuduō bàn ge xiǎoshí.

    About half an hour.

What should you learn next?

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English glosses on this page are adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG (snapshot 2026-10-23), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Glosses were edited for learners.