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  5. 常

常 (cháng): Constant — Stroke Order & Writing Guide

HSK 3.0Level 3
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Recognition 1
HSK 3.0Vocab 3Recognition 1
1.

Animated Stroke Order 常

Watch the stroke order, then trace it yourself.

How to write 常 — animated stroke order

2,354 learners practiced this

2.

Stroke Order Diagrams 常

常 stroke order diagram
3.

Character Breakdown

Top-Bottom
常
尚shàng · still
巾jīn
常=
4.

Printable Writing Worksheet: 常

常 handwriting practice worksheet preview
Download full HSK 3.0 Level 3 PDF pack
5.

How to Use 常

Frequency and Regularity

In these words, 常 adds the meaning of 'frequently' or 'regularly' to describe how often something happens.

常常 • cháng cháng • frequently • HSK 3.0 · L3
HSK 3.0 · L3
6.

HSK Vocabulary: 常

常用 • cháng yòng • in common usage
HSK 3.0 · L3
cháng常
yòng
7.

Example Sentences

jīn今
tiān天
tiān天
qì气
yì异
cháng常
rè

Information

Pinyincháng
Meaningconstant, regular, ordinary
Strokes11
Radical巾
Traditional常
StructureTop-Bottom
Frequency#119
Zhuyinㄔㄤˊ
UnicodeU+5E38
CangjieFBBMR
尚shàng · still
+巾jīn
cháng常
cháng常

frequently

经常 • jīng cháng • often; regularly • HSK 3
HSK 3
jīng经
cháng常

often; regularly

时常 • shí cháng • often; frequently; now and again • HSK 6
HSK 6
shí时
cháng常

often; frequently; now and again

通常 • tōng cháng • general; usual; normal • HSK 5
HSK 5
tōng通
cháng常

general; usual; normal

Normalcy and Commonness

These words use 常 to express the idea of being normal, ordinary, or commonly accepted.

正常 • zhèng cháng • normal; fine; generally speaking • HSK 4
HSK 4
zhèng正
cháng常

normal; fine; generally speaking

平常 • píng cháng • ordinarily; generally; usually • HSK 5
HSK 5
píng平
cháng常

ordinarily; generally; usually

寻常 • xún cháng • Common / Ordinary • HSK 3.0 · L7-9
HSK 3.0 · L7-9
xún寻
cháng常

Common / Ordinary

常识 • cháng shí • general knowledge • HSK 5
HSK 5
cháng常
shí识

general knowledge

Everyday and Routine

These words describe things that are part of everyday life or routine activities.

日常 • rì cháng • day-to-day; everyday; usual • HSK 5
HSK 5
rì日
cháng常

day-to-day; everyday; usual

家常 • jiā cháng • the daily life of a family • HSK 6
HSK 6
jiā家
cháng常

the daily life of a family

照常 • zhào cháng • as usual • HSK 5
HSK 5
zhào照
cháng常

as usual

往常 • wǎng cháng • habitually in the past; as one used to do formerly • HSK 6
HSK 6
wǎng往
cháng常

habitually in the past; as one used to do formerly

Abnormality and Extremes

These words use 常 to set a baseline of normalcy, which is then negated or intensified to describe something unusual or extreme.

非常 • fēi cháng • extremely • HSK 2
HSK 2
fēi非
cháng常

extremely

反常 • fǎn cháng • unusual; abnormal; perverse • HSK 6
HSK 6
fǎn反
cháng常

unusual; abnormal; perverse

异常 • yì cháng • unusual; abnormal; anomalous • HSK 6
HSK 6
yì异
cháng常

unusual; abnormal; anomalous

用

in common usage

常见 • cháng jiàn • commonly seen
HSK 3.0 · L3
cháng常
jiàn见

commonly seen

常年 • cháng nián • all year round
HSK 3.0 · L6
cháng常
nián年

all year round

热
。

The weather is unusually hot today.

tā他
cháng常
qù去
nà那
jiā家
shū书
diàn店
。

He often goes to that bookstore.

tā他
de的
tǐ体
wēn温
xiàn现
zài在
shì是
zhèng正
cháng常
de的
。

His body temperature is normal now

wǒ我
jīng经
cháng常
qù去
tú图
shū书
guǎn馆
kàn看
shū书
。

I often go to the library to read books.

lǎo老
rén人
cháng常
cháng常
zhuī追
yì忆
nián年
qīng轻
shí时
guāng光
。

The old man often reminisces about his youth

shèng胜
bài败
nǎi乃
bīng兵
jiā家
cháng常
shì事
。

Victory and defeat are common matters for a strategist.

Related Characters

Explore characters by relationship

HSK (3.0) Level 3

Characters from the same exam level.

  • 糖tángsugar
  • 甜tiánsweet
  • 跳tiàoto jump, to leap, to bounce
  • 挺tǐngquite
  • 腿tuǐleg
  • 碗wǎna bowl of
View all HSK (3.0) 3 characters →

Same Sound

Characters pronounced "chang".

  • 敞chǎngspacious, open, wide
  • 伥changghost, confused, aimless
  • 偿chángto repay, to compensate
  • 尝chángtaste
  • 畅chàngsmooth, unimpeded, free-flowing
  • 倡chàngto initiate, propose, or advocate
View all "chang" characters →

Same Radical

Characters with radical "巾".

  • 帧zhēnpicture, scroll; one of pair of
  • 幂mìcover-cloth, cover with cloth
  • 帮bāngto help, assist
  • 幌huǎngcurtain, cloth screen
  • 帆fānsail
  • 帖tiēinvitation, note, or calligraphy model
View all "巾" radical characters →