difference between 一直 and 總是

[stapler]

What's difference between these two words? I know in some contexts 一直 has a sense of length in time EG 一直等到什麼時間. However I heard it in places where I would personally use 總是 eg. 每天一直跑, 一直努力學習. Is anyone able to explain what's going on?

 

Also, another smaller question, is there any difference between 經常 and 通常?

 

Thanks!

[Shelley]

I can'thelp with first question, but 經常 is day to day whereas 通常 regular, usual.

 

So regular could mean day to day but it could also mean every week or month etc.

 

Regular doesn't have to be every day just something at regular intervals.

[tooironic]

一直 can mean 總是, but it can also be used to indicate something has been happening (note the underlined parts). For example, 過去兩年來，我一直忙著準備考試 can be translated as "For the past two years, I have been busy preparing for the examination" - using "always" here would sound unnatural.

 

Remember also that in Chinese the distinction may not be important, or only obvious in a given context. For example, 我一直在這 could be translated as "I've always been here" or "I was here the whole time" depending on the situation.

 

To answer your second question, 經常 means often, while 通常 means usually. Note also that 常常 means frequently, and 偶爾 means once in a while or from time to time.

[Tiana]

一直 points towards the continuous nature of the action or state, such as you spent the whole day yesterday studying.

總是 indicates the consistency of the action or state, such as whenever I go to Paris, I always stay at a particular hotel (even though I don't go to Paris often). 

 

The two words are therefore quite different in meaning.

[stapler]

ahh thank you!