adverb, noun
Expresses a habitual or ongoing state, often with a nuance of 'all along' or 'as always'. Slightly formal; common in written Japanese and polite speech.
彼は常々努力を怠らない。
He never neglects his efforts, as always.
常々お世話になって
I am always indebted to you for your help.
いつも is the most common and casual word for 'always'. 常々 is more formal and often implies a continuous state or habitual action over a long period.
常に is a straightforward adverb meaning 'always' or 'constantly', while 常々 carries a slightly more emphatic or reflective tone, often used in set phrases.
Reduplication of 常 (つね, 'usual, ordinary'), emphasizing continuity or habitualness. The reading つねづね reflects rendaku (sequential voicing) on the second element.