平均
平均 in 30 Seconds
- Means 'average' (mathematical mean) or 'equally' (even distribution).
- Used as an adjective (平均分 - average score) or adverb (平均分配 - distribute equally).
- Essential for discussing statistics, weather, grades, and daily routines.
- Do not confuse with 平等 (equality), which is used for social or legal rights.
- Mathematical Mean
- The calculated central value of a set of numbers, used in statistics and daily measurements.
全班的平均分是八十五分。
- Equal Distribution
- The act of dividing something so that all parts are identical in size, amount, or degree.
请把这些苹果平均分给孩子们。
- Societal Averages
- Used to describe the standard or typical level within a society, such as average income or average life expectancy.
这个城市的平均工资很高。
人类的平均寿命在不断延长。
我每天平均睡八个小时。
- Adjective Usage
- Modifying nouns to indicate the mathematical mean of a set of data points.
今天的平均气温是二十度。
- Adverb Usage
- Placed before verbs to indicate that an action is carried out evenly across all parties.
我们将利润平均分配。
- With Time and Frequency
- Used to express an average rate over a period of time.
这家店平均每天卖出一百杯咖啡。
他平均每个月回一次老家。
两队的实力非常平均。
- News and Media
- Frequently used in economic reports, demographic studies, and public policy announcements.
全国平均房价有所上涨。
- Daily Conversations
- Used when discussing habits, routines, or sharing expenses among friends.
我们吃饭的钱平均分摊吧。
- Sports and Gaming
- Used to describe a player's average stats, like points per game or average speed.
他每场比赛平均得二十分。
这辆车的平均时速是一百公里。
他的英语达到了班级的平均水平。
- Mistake 1: Confusing with 平等
- Using 平均 when discussing human rights, social status, or fairness in a moral sense.
❌ 错误: 男女应该平均。
✅ 正确: 男女应该平等。
- Mistake 2: Incorrect Word Order
- Placing 平均 after the verb when it should act as an adverb before the verb.
❌ 错误: 我们分配平均这些钱。
✅ 正确: 我们平均分配这些钱。
- Mistake 3: Confusing with 平常
- Using 平均 to mean 'usually' or 'ordinarily'.
❌ 错误: 我平均七点起床。 (If you mean 'usually')
✅ 正确: 我平常七点起床。
✅ 正确: 我平均每天睡七小时。 (Correct use for mathematical average)
注意不要把平均和平等混淆。
- 均匀 (jūnyún)
- Means even, uniform, or well-distributed in a physical or spatial sense, rather than mathematical.
请把颜料涂抹均匀。
- 平分 (píngfēn)
- A verb meaning to divide equally, usually into two halves or among a specific group.
我们把这块蛋糕平分了吧。
- 平衡 (pínghéng)
- Means balance or equilibrium. It is used for physical balance, work-life balance, or ecological balance.
我们需要保持生态平衡。
工作和生活要保持平衡。
这三个词虽然都有“平”字,但用法完全不同,不能互相替换。
How Formal Is It?
Difficulty Rating
Grammar to Know
Adverbial placement before verbs.
Omission of 的 in set noun phrases.
Expressing frequency and duration.
Passive voice with 被 (as in 被平均).
Comparative sentences (比平均水平高).
Examples by Level
平均是十。
The average is ten.
Used as a simple noun subject.
平均气温很高。
The average temperature is very high.
Modifying a noun (气温).
我的平均分是九十。
My average score is 90.
Common collocation: 平均分.
每天平均下雨。
It rains on average every day.
Basic adverbial use with time.
平均多少钱?
How much money on average?
Asking for an average cost.
平均几个人?
How many people on average?
Asking for an average number of people.
这是平均数。
This is the average number.
Using the specific noun 平均数.
我们平均分。
We divide it equally.
Simple verb phrase.
我每天平均睡八个小时。
I sleep an average of 8 hours a day.
平均 before time duration.
这个月平均每天都很冷。
This month, it has been cold on average every day.
Modifying a daily state.
我们班的平均年龄是二十岁。
The average age of our class is 20.
Collocation: 平均年龄.
请把这些书平均分给学生。
Please distribute these books equally to the students.
Adverb modifying 分 (distribute).
这家饭店平均每天有一百个客人。
This restaurant has an average of 100 guests a day.
Expressing average frequency/volume.
苹果和香蕉的数量很平均。
The number of apples and bananas is very even.
Used as a descriptive adjective at the end.
你平均每个月花多少钱?
How much money do you spend on average each month?
Question structure with frequency.
这次考试的平均成绩比上次好。
The average grade of this exam is better than last time.
Comparing averages.
为了公平,我们将这笔奖金平均分配。
For fairness, we will distribute this bonus equally.
Formal adverbial use: 平均分配.
北京夏天的平均气温在三十度左右。
The average summer temperature in Beijing is around 30 degrees.
Standard geographical description.
他跑马拉松的平均速度非常快。
His average speed running the marathon is very fast.
Collocation: 平均速度.
我们三个人合租,房租平均分摊。
The three of us share the rent, dividing it equally.
Collocation: 平均分摊 (share equally).
如果把这些数字加起来再除以五,就能得到平均数。
If you add these numbers up and divide by five, you can get the average.
Explaining the mathematical process.
虽然他的单科成绩不是最高,但平均分名列前茅。
Although his single subject scores aren't the highest, his average score is among the top.
Contrasting specific vs average.
这家公司的员工平均工资达到了行业标准。
The average salary of this company's employees has reached the industry standard.
Business context.
男女双方在家庭劳动上的付出应该尽量平均。
The effort put into household chores by both men and women should be as even as possible.
Using 平均 to mean balanced/even.
随着医疗水平的提高,国民的平均寿命显著延长。
With the improvement of medical standards, the national average life expectancy has significantly extended.
Formal societal observation.
报告显示,该地区的人均GDP已经超过了全国平均水平。
The report shows that the per capita GDP of the region has exceeded the national average level.
Comparing per capita to average level.
资源的平均分配并不总是意味着绝对的公平。
The equal distribution of resources does not always mean absolute fairness.
Philosophical/Abstract discussion.
在统计学中,平均值容易受到极端异常数据的影响。
In statistics, the mean value is easily affected by extreme outlier data.
Academic terminology: 平均值.
这部电影的评价两极分化,导致其平均得分并不高。
The reviews for this movie are polarized, resulting in its average score not being high.
Cause and effect with averages.
按目前的消耗速度平均计算,这些储备粮食只能维持三个月。
Calculated on average at the current consumption rate, these grain reserves can only last three months.
Structure: 按...平均计算.
两支球队的实力非常平均,比赛结果很难预测。
The strength of the two teams is very even; the match result is hard to predict.
Describing balanced capabilities.
政府出台了新政策,旨在缩小城乡之间的平均收入差距。
The government introduced new policies aimed at narrowing the average income gap between urban and rural areas.
Policy and economics context.
单纯追求结果的平均主义,往往会扼杀个人的创新积极性。
Simply pursuing egalitarianism in outcomes often stifles individual enthusiasm for innovation.
Advanced concept: 平均主义 (egalitarianism).
在宏观经济分析中,加权平均数比算术平均数更能反映真实的物价波动。
In macroeconomic analysis, the weighted average reflects true price fluctuations better than the arithmetic mean.
Technical terms: 加权平均数, 算术平均数.
财富分配极度不均,导致所谓的“平均资产”掩盖了底层的贫困真相。
Extreme wealth inequality means the so-called 'average assets' obscure the truth of poverty at the bottom.
Critical analysis of data.
该算法通过不断迭代,使得网络中的负载达到一种动态的平均状态。
Through continuous iteration, the algorithm allows the network load to reach a dynamic state of equilibrium.
Technical/IT context.
历史学家指出,土地的平均地权是古代农业社会稳定的基石。
Historians point out that the equal distribution of land rights was the cornerstone of stability in ancient agricultural societies.
Historical terminology: 平均地权.
剔除掉最高分和最低分后的平均分,更具统计学上的参考价值。
The average score after removing the highest and lowest scores has more statistical reference value.
Complex modifying clause.
全球变暖导致极端天气频发,仅仅关注全球平均气温的上升是远远不够的。
Global warming causes frequent extreme weather; merely focusing on the rise in global average temperature is far from enough.
Environmental discourse.
企业在扩张时,必须考虑各项固定成本被产量平均摊薄后的边际效益。
When expanding, enterprises must consider the marginal benefit after fixed costs are evenly diluted by production volume.
Advanced business/finance terminology.
若不辅以中位数和众数的考量,单一的平均值在偏态分布中极具欺骗性。
If not supplemented by considerations of the median and mode, a single mean value is highly deceptive in a skewed distribution.
Highly technical statistical discourse.
历代变法者皆试图打破利益固化的藩篱,以期实现某种程度上的社会财富平均。
Reformers throughout history have all attempted to break the barriers of entrenched interests in hopes of achieving some degree of equalized social wealth.
Literary and historical phrasing.
在量子力学的系综诠释中,我们所观测到的宏观物理量实则是微观状态的系综平均。
In the ensemble interpretation of quantum mechanics, the macroscopic physical quantities we observe are actually the ensemble average of microscopic states.
Scientific/Physics terminology.
这种看似公允的“平均用力”,实则是缺乏战略眼光的平庸之举。
This seemingly fair 'equal application of effort' is actually a mediocre move lacking strategic vision.
Idiomatic/Metaphorical use (平均用力).
税收杠杆的初衷便是通过二次分配,对初次分配中产生的悬殊落差进行平均化处理。
The original intention of tax leverage is to use secondary distribution to average out the vast disparities generated in the primary distribution.
Advanced economic theory.
长久以来的风化作用,使得这片喀斯特地貌的峰林高度呈现出一种奇异的平均感。
Long-term weathering has caused the height of the peak forest in this karst landscape to present a bizarre sense of evenness.
Literary description of nature.
他那套说辞不过是把众人的意见做了一个毫无锋芒的平均,未能触及问题的核心。
His rhetoric was nothing more than a blunt averaging of everyone's opinions, failing to touch the core of the problem.
Metaphorical critique.
在探讨国民幸福指数时,我们必须警惕“被平均”的统计学幻象对弱势群体诉求的掩盖。
When discussing the national happiness index, we must guard against the statistical illusion of 'being averaged' obscuring the demands of vulnerable groups.
Internet slang/Modern sociology: 被平均.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
Often Confused With
Idioms & Expressions
Easily Confused
Sentence Patterns
How to Use It
While technically a B1 word, its usage spans all the way to C2 due to its presence in complex statistical and economic jargon. Mastering its basic adjective and adverb forms early will provide a strong foundation.
- Using 平均 to mean 'equality' (平等).
- Using 平均 to mean 'ordinary/usual' (平常/普通).
- Placing 平均 after the verb instead of before it (e.g., saying 分配平均 instead of 平均分配).
- Using 平均 to describe the physical evenness of a substance (should be 均匀).
- Using 平均 as a standalone noun without context (better to use 平均数 or 平均值).
Tips
Adverb Placement
Always place 平均 directly before the verb when it means 'equally'. For example, 平均分配 (distribute equally), not 分配平均. This is a strict rule in Chinese syntax.
Not for Equality
Never use 平均 when talking about human rights, gender equality, or social justice. The word you need for those contexts is 平等 (píngděng). 平均 is for numbers and stuff.
Splitting the Bill
When you are at a restaurant with friends and want to split the bill evenly, the most natural thing to say is '我们平均分摊吧' or simply '咱们平分吧'.
News Abbreviation
When reading Chinese news, look out for '人均' (rénjūn). It is a highly common abbreviation for '按人口平均' and translates to 'per capita'. E.g., 人均收入 (per capita income).
Formal Math
In academic or formal writing, use the full term '平均值' (mean value) or '平均数' (average number) rather than just '平均' to sound more professional and precise.
Tone Consistency
Both characters in 平均 (píng jūn) are flat tones (second tone, first tone). Listen for this steady, level pitch in spoken Chinese—it perfectly matches the word's meaning of 'flat and even'.
Habits and Routines
To sound like a native speaker when describing your daily habits, use '平均每天'. '我平均每天喝三杯水' sounds much more advanced than just saying '我每天喝三杯水'.
The 'Averaged' Slang
Impress your Chinese friends by using the slang '被平均' (to be averaged) when discussing statistics that make things look better than they really are for the common person.
平均 vs 均匀
Remember the paint rule: You distribute the cans of paint 平均 (equally) among the workers, but the workers must apply the paint 均匀 (evenly) on the wall.
Dropping the 的
In highly common set phrases like 平均分 (average score) and 平均气温 (average temperature), do not use the particle 的. Saying 平均的分 sounds unnatural.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Imagine a FLAT (平) piece of land that is divided into EQUAL (均) plots for farmers. Everyone gets the 'average' amount of land.
Word Origin
Cultural Context
Crucial for understanding Chinese news, economic reports, and the societal pressure to meet or exceed the 'average' standard of living.
The balance between collective statistical representation and individual reality.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Conversation Starters
"你平均每天睡几个小时?"
"你们班的平均分是多少?"
"你觉得这个城市的平均工资够生活吗?"
"我们怎么平均分摊这笔费用?"
"你所在地区的平均房价是多少?"
Journal Prompts
Describe your average day using the word 平均 multiple times.
Write about a time when you had to divide something equally (平均分配) among friends.
Discuss whether you think the 'average salary' in your country accurately reflects people's lives.
Compare your personal habits to the national average.
Explain the difference between 平均 and 平等 in your own words.
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, you cannot. In Chinese, 平均 strictly refers to mathematical averages or equal distribution. To say 'I am an average/ordinary person', you should use 普通 (pǔtōng) or 平凡 (píngfán), as in 我是一个普通人. Using 平均 here would sound like you are a mathematical mean of a human.
平分 (píngfēn) is a verb specifically meaning 'to divide equally', often implying dividing into two halves or among a specific group. 平均 (píngjūn) is broader; it can be an adjective (average), an adverb (equally), or part of a noun phrase. You can say 把蛋糕平分 (divide the cake equally) or 把蛋糕平均分配 (distribute the cake equally).
You can use the phrase '平均来说' (píngjūn lái shuō) at the beginning of a sentence. Alternatively, you can just use '平均' as an adverb before the verb. For example, 'On average, I read one book a week' translates to '我平均每周读一本书'.
'被平均' (bèi píngjūn) is a modern internet slang term meaning 'to be averaged'. It is used sarcastically when statistical averages do not reflect the reality of the majority. For example, if one billionaire and nine poor people are in a room, their 'average wealth' is very high. The poor people would say they were '被平均'—their poverty was hidden by the average.
Both are correct, but '平均分' (píngjūn fēn) is the much more common, colloquial abbreviation used in schools and daily life. '平均分数' is slightly more formal but means the exact same thing.
Yes, when referring to distribution. You can '平均分配' (equally distribute) apples, money, or land. However, if you mean the physical spread of something (like paint on a wall), you should use '均匀' (jūnyún) instead.
You can ask '平均是多少?' (What is the average?). If you are asking about a specific metric, you add it: '平均分是多少?' (What is the average score?) or '平均气温是多少?' (What is the average temperature?).
In mathematics, yes. In daily use regarding distribution (like 平均分配), it implies an intention to make things exactly equal, though practical reality might allow for slight variations. It strongly emphasizes fairness in division.
Depending on the context, the opposite could be '不均' (bùjūn - uneven/unequal) as in '分配不均' (unequal distribution), or '极端' (jíduān - extreme) when contrasting an average value with an extreme outlier.
Absolutely. It is very common to use 平均 with time to express habits or rates. The structure is usually '平均 + time period + verb'. For example, '平均每天运动一小时' (Exercise an average of one hour a day).
Test Yourself 200 questions
Write a sentence using 平均分 to describe a test result.
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Write a sentence explaining how many hours you sleep on average using 平均.
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Write a sentence using 平均分配 about sharing money.
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Write a sentence describing the average temperature of your city in summer.
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Write a sentence using 平均速度 to describe a car.
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Write a sentence using 平均分摊 about splitting rent.
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Write a sentence comparing your score to the class average (平均水平).
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Write a sentence using 平均寿命 to discuss health.
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Write a sentence using 人均 to discuss GDP.
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Write a sentence explaining why a simple average (平均值) might be misleading.
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Write a sentence using 被平均 to describe wealth inequality.
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Write a sentence using 加权平均数 in an economic context.
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Write a sentence critiquing 平均主义.
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Write a sentence using 平均地权 in a historical context.
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Write a sentence using 平均用力 metaphorically.
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Write a sentence using 系综平均 in a scientific context.
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Write a sentence using 平均工资 to discuss the job market.
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Write a sentence using 平均房价 to discuss real estate.
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Write a sentence using 平均利润 to discuss business.
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Write a sentence using 平均年龄 to describe a group of people.
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What is the average score?
What is the average temperature?
How many hours does the speaker sleep on average?
How will the bonus be distributed?
How many cups of coffee are sold on average per day?
How is the rent paid?
What is happening to the average life expectancy?
What has exceeded the national average?
What affects the mean value?
What happened to the national average house price?
What is very fast?
How is the strength of the teams?
How is the score compared to the average?
How often does he return home on average?
How is the quantity?
/ 200 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Mastering 平均 allows you to navigate both everyday routines (like average sleep time) and complex data (like economic averages). Remember: it is about numerical calculation and even physical distribution, completely distinct from the concept of human or social equality.
- Means 'average' (mathematical mean) or 'equally' (even distribution).
- Used as an adjective (平均分 - average score) or adverb (平均分配 - distribute equally).
- Essential for discussing statistics, weather, grades, and daily routines.
- Do not confuse with 平等 (equality), which is used for social or legal rights.
Adverb Placement
Always place 平均 directly before the verb when it means 'equally'. For example, 平均分配 (distribute equally), not 分配平均. This is a strict rule in Chinese syntax.
Not for Equality
Never use 平均 when talking about human rights, gender equality, or social justice. The word you need for those contexts is 平等 (píngděng). 平均 is for numbers and stuff.
Splitting the Bill
When you are at a restaurant with friends and want to split the bill evenly, the most natural thing to say is '我们平均分摊吧' or simply '咱们平分吧'.
News Abbreviation
When reading Chinese news, look out for '人均' (rénjūn). It is a highly common abbreviation for '按人口平均' and translates to 'per capita'. E.g., 人均收入 (per capita income).
Example
这个班级学生的平均年龄是二十岁。