Explanation at your level:
You use 平时 to talk about your day. If you do something every day, use this word. Example: 'I usually study at night.' It is very easy to use!
Use 平时 to contrast your normal life with special days. It helps you talk about your schedule and routines in a simple way.
At this level, you can use 平时 to discuss habits and trends. It is great for comparing 'normal' behavior with 'exceptional' circumstances in a professional or social setting.
Use 平时 to add nuance to your descriptions. It helps distinguish between standard operating procedures and emergency protocols in business or academic writing.
Mastering 平时 allows for sophisticated temporal framing. You can use it to set the stage for complex narratives, contrasting the 'mundane' with the 'extraordinary' in literary or formal discourse.
At the C2 level, 平时 becomes a tool for philosophical reflection on the nature of 'normalcy' and the passage of time. It is used to anchor observations about human behavior within the broader context of routine existence.
Wort in 30 Sekunden
- Means 'usually'.
- Refers to normal times.
- Used for daily routines.
- Very common in Mandarin.
When you use the word 平时, you are talking about your regular routine. Think of it as the baseline of your life. It is the time when nothing special is happening, just the normal flow of your day-to-day existence.
You can use it to describe your habits, like what you usually eat or how you usually feel. It helps listeners understand that you aren't talking about a one-time event, but rather a recurring pattern in your life.
The word 平时 is a compound of two Chinese characters. 平 (píng) means flat, level, or common, while 时 (shí) refers to time. Together, they literally mean 'flat time' or 'level time'.
Historically, this concept evolved to represent the 'even' or 'unruffled' periods of time, contrasting with 'high' or 'turbulent' times. It is a beautiful way to describe the stability of everyday life in the Chinese language.
In conversation, 平时 is incredibly versatile. It is often placed at the beginning of a sentence or right after the subject. For instance, you might say '平时我喜欢喝茶' (Usually, I like to drink tea).
It is used in both casual and formal registers. Whether you are chatting with a friend about your weekend plans or writing a report about typical office behavior, this word fits perfectly into any context where 'normal' is the keyword.
While 平时 is a standard word, it appears in many common expressions. 1. 平时不烧香，临时抱佛脚 (Don't pray to Buddha only when in trouble). 2. 平时多流汗，战时少流血 (Train hard, fight easy). 3. 平时表现 (Daily performance). 4. 平时生活 (Daily life). 5. 平时习惯 (Daily habits).
Grammatically, 平时 functions as an adverb of time. It does not change form; it is invariable. In Mandarin, the tone is second tone followed by second tone (píng shí).
It is often used with verbs to describe recurring actions. You don't need special articles or plural markers because the word itself sets the frequency context for the entire sentence.
Fun Fact
It reflects the Chinese cultural value of balance and consistency.
Pronunciation Guide
Standard Mandarin pinyin pronunciation.
Standard Mandarin pinyin pronunciation.
Common Errors
- Mispronouncing the 'p' as 'b'
- Ignoring the tone
- Mispronouncing the 'sh' sound
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy
Easy
Easy
Easy
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Fortgeschritten
Grammar to Know
Adverb placement
Subject + Adverb + Verb
Examples by Level
平时我喝水。
Usually I drink water.
Adverb placement.
平时很忙。
Usually very busy.
Adverb + adj.
平时你在家吗？
Are you usually home?
Question format.
平时我走路。
Usually I walk.
Habitual.
平时天气好。
Usually the weather is good.
State of being.
平时我不吃肉。
Usually I don't eat meat.
Negation.
平时他在看书。
Usually he is reading.
Continuous.
平时很安静。
Usually very quiet.
Descriptive.
平时你几点起床？
平时我坐公交车。
平时这里人很少。
平时我不看电视。
平时他很友好。
平时工作很累。
平时我们一起吃饭。
平时你喜欢做什么？
平时我很少去电影院。
平时要注意身体健康。
平时多练习口语很重要。
平时他看起来很严肃。
平时这里的交通很拥堵。
平时我都会提前准备。
平时保持良好的作息。
平时我们不讨论这个问题。
平时若无其事，关键时刻很可靠。
平时应加强对设备的维护。
平时积累的经验很有用。
平时虽然话不多，但很热心。
平时尽量避免熬夜。
平时要多关注社会动态。
平时的工作压力很大。
平时保持谦虚的态度。
平时看似平淡，实则暗流涌动。
平时需严于律己，方能成事。
平时应注重细节的打磨。
平时应当建立良好的沟通机制。
平时虽无大碍，但需防微杜渐。
平时若能持之以恒，必有收获。
平时应多研读经典著作。
平时保持冷静的判断力。
平时之积淀，方为厚积薄发之基。
平时之修养，见于细微之处。
平时之沉潜，乃为日后之爆发。
平时之规训，塑造了人格之轮廓。
平时之观察，往往能洞悉本质。
平时之态，即是真实之自我。
平时之积累，决定了最终之高度。
平时之坚持，是通往卓越的必经之路。
Häufige Kollokationen
Idioms & Expressions
"平时不烧香，临时抱佛脚"
Don't only seek help when in trouble.
平时不烧香，临时抱佛脚是没用的。
casual"平时多流汗，战时少流血"
Hard training makes the actual task easier.
教练说平时多流汗，战时少流血。
formal"平时表现良好"
Good daily performance.
他平时表现良好，所以被提拔了。
formal"平时生活作息"
Daily routine.
要规律平时生活作息。
neutral"平时看起来"
Usually looks like.
他平时看起来很安静。
neutral"平时工作压力"
Daily work pressure.
平时工作压力很大。
neutralEasily Confused
Both relate to time.
经常 is frequency, 平时 is normalcy.
经常 (often) vs 平时 (usually).
Both mean usually.
通常 is more formal.
通常 (usually) vs 平时 (daily routine).
Means generally.
一般 is broader.
一般 (generally) vs 平时 (routine).
Means ordinary days.
平日 is a noun.
平日 (weekdays) vs 平时 (usually).
Sentence Patterns
Subject + 平时 + Verb
我平时跑步。
平时 + Adjective
平时很忙。
Subject + 平时 + 不 + Verb
我平时不吃鱼。
平时 + 虽 + Adjective, + 但是 + Verb
平时虽忙，但是会运动。
平时 + 的 + Noun
平时的工作。
Wortfamilie
Nouns
Adjectives
Verwandt
How to Use It
10
Formality Scale
Häufige Fehler
平时 only refers to habitual states, not future.
Adverbs of time usually come before the verb.
平时 is about 'normalcy', 经常 is about 'frequency'.
平时 is for daily life, not war/peace.
Chinese doesn't pluralize adverbs.
Tips
Visual Link
See the flat line.
Placement
Put it early.
Balance
Reflects harmony.
No 'very'
Don't say very usually.
Tones
Keep them level.
Future
Don't use for future.
Origin
Flat time.
Routine
Use it for your schedule.
Contrast
Use with 'but'.
Subject
Works with all.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of a 'flat' (平) line of time (时) that represents your day.
Visual Association
A flat horizon line representing a normal, steady day.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Write 5 sentences about your daily routine using this word.
Wortherkunft
Chinese
Original meaning: Flat/Level time
Kultureller Kontext
None.
Equates to 'usually' or 'in normal times'.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
At work
- 平时工作
- 平时开会
- 平时加班
At school
- 平时作业
- 平时考试
- 平时学习
At home
- 平时做饭
- 平时休息
- 平时看书
Socializing
- 平时喜欢
- 平时去哪
- 平时见面
Conversation Starters
"平时你喜欢做什么？"
"你平时几点起床？"
"平时工作忙吗？"
"你平时怎么去上班？"
"平时你吃什么？"
Journal Prompts
Describe your daily routine.
How is your life different on weekends vs weekdays?
What do you usually do to relax?
Write about a normal day.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
8 FragenYes, if it describes a past habit.
It is neutral.
Not necessarily, just 'usually'.
Yes.
No, it is an adverb.
No.
No, it's not an adjective.
Extremely.
Teste dich selbst
___我喝茶。
平时 means usually.
Which means 'usually'?
平时 is the best translation.
平时 can be used for future events.
It describes habitual states.
Word
Bedeutung
Direct translation.
Subject + adverb + verb.
Ergebnis: /5
Summary
平时 is your go-to word for describing your normal, everyday life.
- Means 'usually'.
- Refers to normal times.
- Used for daily routines.
- Very common in Mandarin.
Visual Link
See the flat line.
Placement
Put it early.
Balance
Reflects harmony.
No 'very'
Don't say very usually.
Beispiel
他平时很忙，周末才有空。
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Verwandte Redewendungen
Mehr general Wörter
一下儿
A1a bit, a moment
点儿
A1a little bit
有点儿
A1a little, somewhat (negative connotation)
一下
A2A bit; a moment (used after a verb).
异样
B1different; unusual; strange
关于
A1about, concerning
快要
A2to be about to (happen)
大约
B1Used to show that a number or amount is not exact; approximately.
上边
A2above, on top
上面
A1on, above, over
