Each colour is one part of the character. Parts repeat across thousands of characters, so learning them makes new words easier. See all 214 in our radicals chart.
经jīngclassics
经 is a single shape of 8 strokes. Learn it whole, then watch its stroke order below.
Memory aidSilk 纟: the threads that run lengthwise on a loom. From there, to pass through.
常chángalways
尚still · shàngSound part
巾napkin · jīnMeaning part
巾 hints at the meaning (napkin); 尚 (shàng) hints at the sound. Compare it with cháng.
Memory aidCloth 巾 with 尚 (shàng) for the sound. Its first meaning was a skirt; now it means “often, usual”.
How to write 经常
经 8 strokes · 常 11 strokes
Watch the order, then press Try writing it and draw each stroke in the grid. Each stroke is checked as you go.
Stroke order chart for 经常 (jīngcháng). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.
经常 (jīngcháng) means “often” or “frequently”. It is an HSK 3 word.
Say it jīngcháng: jīng with a 1st tone, then cháng with a 2nd tone. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
In Traditional characters, used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, 经常 is written 經常. The pronunciation is the same.
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type jingchang with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 经常 from the suggestions. Typing jingchang into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
经常 is an HSK 3 word in the HSK 2.0 word lists.
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Sources: meaning and pinyin checked by a native Mandarin teacher against the official HSK lists. Extra meanings from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.
经jīng1st tone, high and level
常cháng2nd tone, rising
