“Often” in Chinese 4  – 通常 tōngcháng / 时常 shícháng

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Grammar · HSK 5
Grammar Point · HSK 5

通常 tōngcháng / 時常 shícháng — “Often” in Chinese

通常 tōngcháng describes what’s normally the case — the default, expected state of things. 时常 shícháng is a more literary way to say “often,” close in meaning to 常常 chángcháng/经常 jīngcháng but with a written, formal register.

通常 / 時常 — Usually and Often, Chinese grammar

Both sit before the verb — but 通常 tōngcháng often opens the whole sentence, setting up “normally, X happens,” while 时常 shícháng slots in right where 常常 chángcháng would.

1Structure

S + 通常 tōngcháng + V/Adj

通常 tōngcháng and 时常 shícháng both get translated as “often” or “usually,” but they answer different questions.

Word Register Usage
通常 tōngcháng Neutral Describes what’s normally or typically the case — the default state of affairs, not a count of occurrences. Often opens the sentence, and pairs naturally with 情况下 qíngkuàng xià (“under normal circumstances”).
时常 shícháng More literary A written, slightly formal synonym for 常常 chángcháng/经常 jīngcháng — describes frequent repetition. Common in narrative or descriptive writing, uncommon in casual speech.
我wǒ通常tōngcháng六liù点diǎn起床qǐchuáng。
I usually get up at 6.
周末zhōumò我wǒ通常tōngcháng在zài家jiā休息xiūxí。
On weekends I usually rest at home.
这种zhèzhǒng情况qíngkuàng下xià，他tā通常tōngcháng会huì道歉dàoqiàn。
In this kind of situation, he would usually apologize.
我们wǒmen公司gōngsī通常tōngcháng九jiǔ点diǎn上班shàngbān。
Our company usually starts work at 9.

S + 时常 shícháng + V

她tā时常shícháng一yí个ge人rén去qù旅行lǚxíng。
She often travels alone.
他tā时常shícháng在zài深夜shēnyè写作xiězuò。
He often writes late at night.
这zhè附近fùjìn时常shícháng有yǒu音乐yīnyuè表演biǎoyǎn。
There are often music performances around here.
我wǒ时常shícháng想起xiǎngqǐ故乡gùxiāng的de味道wèidào。
I often think of the taste of my hometown.

2Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.

01I usually eat breakfast at 7.
我wǒ通常tōngcháng七qī点diǎn吃chī早餐zǎocān。
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02He usually doesn’t answer the phone.
他tā通常tōngcháng不bù接jiē电话diànhuà。
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03Under normal circumstances, the store closes at 9pm.
通常tōngcháng情况qíngkuàng下xià，这zhè家jiā店diàn晚上wǎnshàng九jiǔ点diǎn关门guānmén。
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04She often stays up writing her diary.
她tā时常shícháng熬夜áoyè写xiě日记rìjì。
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05This road often floods when it rains heavily.
这zhè条tiáo路lù一yí下xià大雨dàyǔ就jiù时常shícháng淹水yānshuǐ。
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06What do you usually do on weekends?
你nǐ周末zhōumò通常tōngcháng做zuò什么shénme？
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07My grandmother often tells us old stories.
我wǒ奶奶nǎinai时常shícháng跟gēn我们wǒmen讲jiǎng以前yǐqián的de故事gùshì。
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08We usually take the same route to school.
我们wǒmen上学shàngxué通常tōngcháng走zǒu同tóng一yì条tiáo路lù。
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Related Grammar

→常 & 经常 — “Often”(HSK 2) →“Repeatedly” in Chinese — 一再 yīzài, 再三 zàisān(HSK 6)

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