总是/總是 zǒngshì — always, invariably

Meanings

1. 1

   always, invariably

   Says that something happens every single time the occasion arises. 经常 says "often"; 一直 says "without a break"; 总是 says "without exception".

   adverb

Character breakdown

• 是

  shì (fourth tone, falling)

  to be (am, is, are); yes, that is so; correct, right

  9 strokes⿱日正Radical 日

Example sentences

• 他总是第一个到教室。/他總是第一個到教室。Tā (first tone, high and level) zǒngshì (third tone, dipping) dì (fourth tone, falling) yī (first tone, high and level) ge (neutral tone) dào (fourth tone, falling) jiàoshì. (fourth tone, falling)···

  He’s always the first to arrive in the classroom.

• 你为什么总是迟到？/你為什麼總是遲到？Nǐ (third tone, dipping) wèishénme (fourth tone, falling) zǒngshì (third tone, dipping) chídào? (second tone, rising)···

  Why are you always late?

Common mistakes

• Not quite我总是在等你，你还没来。

  Correct我一直在等你，你还没来。

  总是 covers repeated occasions; 一直 covers one unbroken stretch of time. Waiting right now, without stopping, is 一直.

Similar words

Words containing 是

• 是shì (fourth tone, falling)to be (A is B)
• 就是jiù (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling)exactly; precisely
• 但是dànshì (fourth tone, falling)but, however
• 只是zhǐ (third tone, dipping) shì (fourth tone, falling)merely; only; just; nothing but
• 还是/還是háishi (second tone, rising)or (in a question)
• 可是kě (third tone, dipping) shì (fourth tone, falling)but
• 而是ér (second tone, rising) shì (fourth tone, falling)rather
• 于是/於是yú (second tone, rising) shì (fourth tone, falling)thereupon
• 正是zhèng (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling)is precisely
• 要是yàoshi (fourth tone, falling)if, supposing
• 算是suàn (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling)considered to be
• 或是huò (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling)or
• 是不是shì (fourth tone, falling) bù (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling)is or isn't
• 也就是说/也就是說yě (third tone, dipping) jiù (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) shuō (first tone, high and level)in other words
• 倒是dào (fourth tone, falling) shi (neutral tone)contrary to what one might expect
• 老是lǎo (third tone, dipping) shi (neutral tone)always
• 是非shì (fourth tone, falling) fēi (first tone, high and level)right and wrong