常
usual · ordinary · normal · common · regular · continually · always · long-lasting
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of esteem and cloth. Esteemed cloth.
Symbolism
Common sense, daily, usual. Represents always.
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
諸行無常
しょぎょうむじょう
all things must pass; all worldly things are impermanent
尋常一様
じんじょういちよう
ordinary; common; mediocre
日常茶飯
にちじょうさはん
everyday occurrence
無常迅速
むじょうじんそく
the (fast) pace at which life passes, and thus the nearness of death; promptitude of the changes of the times
常套手段
じょうとうしゅだん
one's habitual practice; usual measure; old trick
常住坐臥
じょうじゅうざが
at all times; day in, day out; constantly
家常茶飯
かじょうさはん
everyday occurrence; commonplace of life; nothing out of the ordinary
常住不断
じょうじゅうふだん
ceaseless; constant; uninterrupted
常住不滅
じょうじゅうふめつ
everlasting; forever unchanging; undying
常在戦場
じょうざいせんじょう
always conducting oneself as though one were on a battlefield; being combat ready at all times (of a person)
Proverbs & Idioms
日常茶飯事
にちじょうさはんじ
An everyday occurrence
Something that happens routinely
Anime & Manga
日常
Nichijou - My Ordinary Life
A well-known work with 常 in its Japanese title.
男子高校生の日常
Daily Lives of High School Boys
A well-known work with 常 in its Japanese title.
モンスター娘のいる日常
Monster Musume: Everyday Life With Monster Girls
A well-known work with 常 in its Japanese title.
仙王的日常生活
The Daily Life of the Immortal King
A well-known work with 常 in its Japanese title.
異能バトルは日常系のなかで
When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace
A well-known work with 常 in its Japanese title.
Related Figures & Stories
支倉常長
Name contains 常
Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga was a kirishitan Japanese samurai and retainer of Date Masamune, the daimyō of Sendai.
Wikipedia山本常朝
Name contains 常
Yamamoto Tsunetomo , Buddhist monastic name Yamamoto Jōchō , was a samurai of the Saga Domain in Hizen Province under his lord Nabeshima Mitsushige.
Wikipedia佐野常民
Name contains 常
Count Sano Tsunetami was a Japanese statesman and founder of the Japanese Red Cross Society.
Wikipedia常盤御前
Name contains 常
Tokiwa Gozen , or Lady Tokiwa, was a Japanese noblewoman of the late Heian period and mother of the great samurai general Minamoto no Yoshitsune.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
“continually”
“always”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 常 mean in Japanese?
常 means usual, ordinary, normal, common, regular, continually, always, long-lasting.
How do you read 常?
On'yomi: ジョウ (JOU). Kun'yomi: つね、とこ- (tsune, toko).
How many strokes does 常 have?
常 has 11 strokes. Its radical is 巾 (cloth).
Is 常 a good kanji for a tattoo?
常 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means usual, ordinary, normal, common, regular, continually, always, long-lasting. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:ordinary · continually · always