HSK 4 · VERSION 2.0#97
Comparing “chángcháng” and “wǎngwǎng”
常常 vs 往往
How it works
Both words can be translated as “often,” but they are used differently.
The difference
常常 (chángcháng) = often, repeated frequency in daily life
往往 (wǎngwǎng) = often, usually in the sense of tendency or pattern
Example sentences
我常常去图书馆。
I often go to the library.
天气太热的时候，人们往往不想出门。
When the weather is too hot, people often do not want to go out.
他常常迟到。 / 太着急的时候，人往往容易出错。
He is often late. / When people are too anxious, they often make mistakes easily.
Key point
往往 (wǎngwǎng) usually describes a pattern or regular tendency, not just frequency.