往往 wǎng wǎng
“usually; in many cases; more often than not”
adverbHSK 4 · 2021 list level 3
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
往往 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 1769: 往往 wǎngwǎng — Level 4; official annotation 4 (副). PDF page 124
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 往往
往往 means "usually" or "often" in the sense of a general tendency—what tends to happen in many cases. It is an adverb and comes before the verb phrase, often in general statements rather than one specific event. Typical pattern: 往往 + verb phrase, often with 会 or a condition.
例句Example sentences
- 事情往往没有我们想的那么简单。shì qing wǎng wǎng méi yǒu wǒ men xiǎng de nà me jiǎn dān.Things are often not as simple as we think.
- 他一紧张，往往会说错话。tā yì jǐn zhāng, wǎng wǎng huì shuō cuò huà.When he gets nervous, he often says the wrong thing.
易混词Easily confused
往往vs常常
常常 simply means "often" for repeated actions or habits; 往往 highlights a general tendency in many cases and is less used for simple personal habits.