GrammarGlue: Usually "tung soeng VS ping si"
Cantonese Grammar · One Confusing Pair
通常tung1 soeng4
your dictionary translates both as
"usually"
平時ping4 si4
Every dictionary translates both of these as "usually." But Cantonese speakers never confuse them — because each one answers a different question.
They answer different questions
通常 answers "how often?" 平時 answers "normal day, or special day?"
通常
tung1 soeng4
Most of the time
A frequency dial. Use 通常 when something is true almost every time — out of 10 chances, it happens 8, 9, even 10 times.
out of 10 meals9 = rice
Examples
我通常食飯，唔食麵。
ngo5 tung1 soeng4 sik6 faan6, m4 sik6 min6.
I usually eat rice, not noodles.
9 out of 10 meals are rice — a high-frequency habit.
巴士通常慢啲，地鐵快啲。
baa1 si2 tung1 soeng4 maan6 di1, dei6 tit3 faai3 di1.
Buses are usually slower, the MTR is faster.
A general fact — true almost every time you ride either one.
我 ___ 搭地鐵返工。
ngo5 ___ daap3 dei6 tit3 faan1 gung1.
I [usually] take the MTR to work — almost every day.
平時
ping4 si4
Regular days
A baseline vs. exception. Use 平時 to set up your normal, everyday life — then contrast it against one special day.
Mon–Sat = normal · Sun = the exception
Examples
我平時好忙，禮拜日好得閒。
ngo5 ping4 si4 hou2 mong4, lai5 baai3 jat6 hou2 dak1 haan4.
I'm busy on regular days, but free on Sundays.
Normal weekdays (baseline) vs. Sunday (the special exception).
佢平時唔飲茶，但係今日飲。
keoi5 ping4 si4 m4 jam2 caa4, daan6 hai6 gam1 jat6 jam2.
He ordinarily doesn't drink tea, but today he does.
His everyday baseline vs. "today" — one exception day.
我 ___ 食麵，但係今日食飯。
ngo5 ___ sik6 min6, daan6 hai6 gam1 jat6 sik6 faan6.
On normal days I eat noodles, but today I eat rice.
Stuck mid-sentence? Ask one question.
If you're about to say "usually" in Cantonese, check what comes next in your sentence.
Am I about to say a number, rate, or general fact?
→ 通常
tung1 soeng4
＋
Am I about to contrast with "but today / but Sunday / but now"?
→ 平時
ping4 si4