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Chinese Grammar Bank
HOW TO USE 曾经
In Mandarin Chinese, the word “曾经” (céngjīng) is used to express the idea of “once” or “once before,” indicating that something happened in the past.
It is often used to talk about experiences or events that occurred at some point, but they no longer hold true or are not happening anymore.
BASIC STRUCTURE
The general sentence structure with “曾经” is as follows:
PATTERN
Subject + 曾经 + Verb + Object
The subject comes first, followed by “曾经,” and then the verb or verb phrase that describes the past action.
MEANING OF 曾经
曾经 conveys the meaning of “once,” “before,” or “previously,” highlighting an action or situation that happened in the past but is no longer ongoing or valid.
AFFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES
| Chinese Sentence | Pinyin | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 我曾经住在北京。 | Wǒ céngjīng zhù zài Běijīng. | I once lived in Beijing. |
| 他曾经是一个老师。 | Tā céngjīng shì yī gè lǎoshī. | He used to be a teacher. |
| 我们曾经一起去过那个公园。 | Wǒmen céngjīng yīqǐ qù guò nàge gōngyuán. | We once went to that park together. |
INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES
You can also form questions using “曾经” to ask if something happened in the past.
| 你曾经去过法国吗？ | Nǐ céngjīng qù guò Fǎguó ma? | Have you ever been to France? |
| 他曾经学过中文吗？ | Tā céngjīng xué guò zhōngwén ma? | Did he ever study Chinese? |
COMMON USAGES
To emphasise past experience we would use the following pattern:
PATTERN
曾经 + Verb + 过
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 他曾经去过很多国家。 | Tā céngjīng qù guò hěn duō guójiā. | He once visited many countries. |
| 我曾经去过中国。 | Wǒ céngjīng qù guò Zhōngguó. | I once went to China. |
| 我们曾经养过一只狗。 | Wǒmen céngjīng yǎng guò yī zhī gǒu. | We once had a dog. |
Here is to describe states or past condition:
PATTERN
曾经 + 是/有/adj. phrase
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 他曾经是一个有钱人。 | Tā céngjīng shì yī gè yǒuqián rén. | He used to be a rich man. |
| 她曾经是一个老师。 | Tā céngjīng shì yí gè lǎoshī. | She was once a teacher. |
| 我们曾经有一只狗。 | Wǒmen céngjīng yǒu yī zhī gǒu. | We once had a dog. |
| 我们曾经很要好。 | Wǒmen céngjīng hěn yàohǎo. | We were once very close. |
USING 曾经的
Another important phrase structure involving “曾经” is 曾经的 + Noun, which is used to describe something or someone that “once was” but no longer exists in the same state or form.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 曾经的朋友 | Céngjīng de péngyǒu | A former friend (someone who was once your friend but isn’t anymore) |
| 曾经的家 | Céngjīng de jiā | The home I once had (a home you lived in before, but no longer live in now) |
| 曾经的梦想 | Céngjīng de mèngxiǎng | A dream I once had (a dream or aspiration that you used to have, but no longer) |
This structure is commonly used when reflecting on a person, place, thing, or situation from the past.
It emphasizes that the noun being described was true or real at a certain time but has changed or no longer exists in the same way.
SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS
曾经 Vs. 以前 (yǐqián)
以前 (yǐqián) is another common way to express “in the past” or “before.”
While both “曾经” and “以前” refer to past actions, “曾经” highlights that something specific happened at a certain point in the past, whereas “以前” is broader and can refer to a longer time frame.
| chinese | pinyin | english |
|---|---|---|
| 我曾经学过法语。 | Wǒ céngjīng xué guò fǎyǔ. | I once studied French (implying that I don’t study it anymore). |
| 我以前学法语。 | Wǒ yǐqián xué fǎyǔ. | I studied French before (it doesn’t imply whether I am still learning or not). |
| 他曾经是个演员。 | Tā céngjīng shì ge yǎnyuán. | He once was an actor (but he is no longer). |
| 他以前是演员。 | Tā yǐqián shì yǎnyuán. | He used to be an actor (this doesn’t indicate if he is still one now or not). |
曾经 Vs. 曾(céng)
Both “曾” (céng) and “曾经” (céngjīng) can be used to indicate something happened in the past.
Most of the time, the two can be used interchangeably, but they have different nuances and usage in modern Chinese.
曾 (céng): A Formal and More Classical Form
曾 also means “once” or “before,” but it is more formal and is often used in written Chinese, literary works, or historical contexts. It expresses the idea of an event happening in the past but in a more concise and sometimes less conversational way.
曾 is more formal and literary than 曾经, and it often appears in classical Chinese, formal writing, or poetry.
曾 is placed before the verb, just like 曾经, but it’s used in more concise, often written expressions. It is also seen in idiomatic or poetic contexts.
似曾相识
as if have known before； deja vu
曾 can be considered as a short and concise form of 曾经 and may be used for stylistic reasons, especially in formal speech or writing.
Since it’s a single character, it tends to make sentences shorter, more compact, and direct.
| 我曾去过法国。 | Wǒ céng qù guò Fǎguó. | I once went to France. |
| 他曾是个很有名的画家。 | Tā céng shì gè hěn yǒumíng de huàjiā. | He was once a famous painter. |
| 他们曾在这里工作。 | Tāmen céng zài zhèlǐ gōngzuò. | They once worked here. |
曾经 (céngjīng): Common in Both Written and Spoken Chinese
“曾经” is the more commonly used form in both spoken and written modern Chinese.
“曾经” is flexible and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
It is more suitable for everyday conversation compared to “曾.” It can be used in both formal and informal situations.
PATTERN
曾经的… +noun
Examples:
曾经的我们
Us once upon a time
曾经的生活
The life in the past
NOTE || Although 曾 and 曾经 can be used grammatically correctly used interchangeably most times， in the expression 曾经的… it’s incorrect to replace 曾经 with 曾。
Comparison in Use:
| 曾 (céng) | 曾经 (céngjīng) | |
|---|---|---|
| Tone and formality | Literary, concise，Classical， formal | Casual， neural， conversational |
| Context | Less common in spoken Chinese, more frequent in literary or historical contexts | Used in both spoken and written language |
| Commonness | Less common in modern Chinese | Very common in both modern spoken and written Chinese |
When to Use “曾” vs. “曾经”
Use “曾” in formal writing or poetic expressions, particularly when you want to convey a more classical or elegant tone.
Use “曾经” in both formal and informal conversations. It is the standard way to express past events in most situations, especially in everyday conversations.
When in doubt, “曾经” is usually the safer choice, especially in spoken contexts. “曾” can be used when writing formally or wanting to evoke a more classical style.
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FAQs
What is the main function of “曾经” ?
“曾经” indicates that an action or event happened in the past, often with an emphasis on experience.
Can “曾经” be used to describe habitual actions?
No, “曾经” is used for specific past experiences, not habitual actions.
Is “曾经” suitable for both formal and informal?
Yes, “曾经” is appropriate in both formal and informal settings, though it’s more common in written Chinese.
Does “曾经” always require a time reference?
No, but using it with time words can add context, as in “他曾经五年前来过” (He came here five years ago).
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