Comparing “píngshí” and “píngcháng”
平时 vs 平常
Comparison section · original #8 · level order #101
How it works
Both 平时 (píngshí) and 平常 (píngcháng) can relate to the idea of “usually” or “ordinary,” but they are not exactly the same.
平时 (píngshí) mainly means “at ordinary times / usually” and often refers to time.
平常 (píngcháng) can mean “ordinary / normal,” and it can also mean “usually” in some contexts.
Example sentences
他平时工作很忙，所以周末一般不愿意出门。
He is usually very busy at work, so he generally does not want to go out on weekends.
这只是个很平常的问题，你不用想得太复杂。
This is only a very ordinary problem, so you do not need to make it too complicated.
他平时看起来很安静，其实遇到不公平的事时一点儿也不平常。
He usually looks very quiet, but when he encounters unfair things, his reaction is anything but ordinary.
Key point
平时 (píngshí) focuses more on usual time; 平常 (píngcháng) can describe the ordinary quality of something.