Chinese word

总是

Pronunciation

Pinyinzǒng shì

Meaning

  • adverbalways

Example

他总是迟到。tā zǒng shì chí dào

He is always late.

Illustration for 总是 (always)

More examples

我总是吃早饭。wǒ zǒng shì chī zǎo fàn

I always eat breakfast.

Core concept

A repeated action or lasting state that becomes the usual pattern.

Common phrases

  • 总是迟到zǒng shì chí dào

    always be late

  • 总是忘记zǒng shì wàng jì

    always forget

  • 总是帮忙zǒng shì bāng máng

    always help

Similar words

经常jīng cháng: Describes actions or states that occur frequently as part of daily life.
常常cháng cháng: Describes something that happens often as a repeated habit.
一直yì zhí: Describes an action or state that keeps going without a break from a certain time.
老是lǎo shì: Describes an unwanted action or state that keeps happening, with a complaining tone.

Definition in Chinese

表示某人或某事在多数情况下反复发生或长期保持的状态，强调习惯性或高频率的动作或情况。biǎo shì mǒu rén huò mǒu shì zài duō shù qíng kuàng xià fǎn fù fā shēng huò cháng qī bǎo chí de zhuàng tài qiáng diào xí guàn xìng huò gāo pín lǜ de dòng zuò huò qíng kuàng

Word origin

总是 (zǒngshì, "always") joins 总 (zǒng, "all") with 是 (shì, "be"), framing something as being the same across the situations being considered.

Usage tips

  • When 总是 (zǒngshì, "always") describes a person's unwanted behavior, it can sound like a complaint, so the sentence may feel stronger than a neutral English report.

Other meanings

  • oftenadverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word