常つねに

つ

ね

に

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 2,000

Meanings

1

adverb

always; constantly; at all times

Describes a continuous or habitual state or action; neutral and widely used.

彼かれは常つねに笑

え

顔がお

だ

。

He is always smiling.

常つねに準じゅん備びを怠おこたらない。

I never neglect to be prepared at all times.

Usage patterns

常つねに〈事こと〉を心こころがけるto always keep something in mind / make a constant effort toward something
彼かれは常つねに安あん全ぜんを心こころがけている。
He always keeps safety in mind.
常つねに〈事こと〉を意い識しきするto be constantly conscious of something
彼かの女じょは常つねに周まわりの目めを意い識しきしている。
She is always conscious of how others see her.
常つねに〈形けい容よう詞し〉状じょう態たいにあるto always be in a certain state
この機き械かいは常つねに高こう温おんの状じょう態たいにある。
This machine is always in a state of high temperature.
常つねに〜であるべきだshould always be ~ (expressing an ideal or principle)
リーダーは常つねに冷れい静せいであるべきだ。
A leader should always stay calm.

Kanji

常usual, ordinary, normal

Related words· 11

いつもN5
いつも is the everyday, conversational word for 'always', while 常に is slightly more formal and often used in writing or explanations.
絶たえずN2
絶えず stresses that something continues without any break or interruption, whereas 常に simply states a habitual or constant fact.
常じょう時じ
常時 is a stiff, official-sounding word for 'at all times' used in rules or manuals, while 常に is more general and can be used in ordinary writing too.
終しゅう始しN2
終始 means 'from beginning to end' and focuses on the whole duration of a single event, while 常に describes a recurring or ongoing state in general.

Show 7 more

常つね々づね
常に is a plain, neutral adverb for 'always/constantly', while 常々 adds a reflective, ongoing-habit nuance and often pairs with verbs like 思う or 言う.
四し六ろく時じ中ちゅうN1
常に is a neutral, formal word for 'always' or 'constantly', whereas 四六時中 is a colorful idiom stressing round-the-clock continuity.
ずっとN4
常に is a more formal, written-style word for constant continuation, while ずっと is the everyday spoken equivalent.

Opposites

たまにN4
たまに means 'occasionally', the direct opposite of 常に's 'always, constantly'.
時とき々どきN5
時々 means 'sometimes', contrasting with the constancy expressed by 常に.

Etymology

From classical Japanese 常 (つね, 'constancy, usual state') + adverbial particle に.

いつでも

N3

常に is a formal/literary word for 'always' used in writing or formal speech, whereas いつでも is neutral and conversational.

朝あさ夕ゆう

常に means 'always' in a general sense, while 朝夕 keeps the image of repeated morning-and-evening occurrence even when used adverbially.

日にち夜やN1

常に is a broad, neutral 'always', whereas 日夜 carries a stronger nuance of tireless, ongoing effort day and night.

始し終じゅうN2

常に is a formal word meaning 'always' as a general rule or habit, while 始終 more often describes something happening continuously within a particular period.