Chinese word

一般

Pronunciation

Pinyinyī bān

Meaning

  • adverbusually

Example

周末我一般在家休息。zhōu mò wǒ yì bān zài jiā xiū xī

I usually rest at home on weekends.

Illustration for 一般 (usually)

More examples

上班的时候，他一般八点到公司。shàng bān de shí hòu tā yì bān bā diǎn dào gōng sī

When he goes to work, he usually arrives at the office at eight.

Core concept

A broad pattern shared by most cases, or the normal kind rather than a special one.

Common phrases

  • 一般来说yì bān lái shuō

    generally speaking

  • 一般都yì bān dōu

    usually

Similar words

通常tōng cháng: Used for a normal way or pattern based on routine, custom, or rules.
经常jīng cháng: Used when the same event happens again and again at a high frequency.
常常cháng cháng: Used when an event happens frequently as part of everyday life.
多半duō bàn: Used to show that something probably happens or is true in most cases.

Definition in Chinese

表示事物的普遍性或常态，指多数情况下成立的情况，语用上多用作副词来说明常见的做法或现象。biǎo shì shì wù de pǔ biàn xìng huò cháng tài zhǐ duō shù qíng kuàng xià chéng lì de qíng kuàng yǔ yòng shàng duō yòng zuò fù cí lái shuō míng cháng jiàn de zuò fǎ huò xiàn xiàng

Word origin

一般 (yībān, "general") combines 一 (yī, "one") with 般 (bān, "kind or sort"), giving the idea of one common category and leading to meanings about what is ordinary or usual.

Usage tips

  • This adverb describes what happens in most cases, so it leaves room for exceptions instead of making an absolute claim.

Other meanings

  • ordinaryadjective

Opposites

Related words

  • 一般地yì bān dìgenerallyadverb
  • 一般的yì bān deordinaryadjective

Word lists with this word