HSK 5
曾经
céngjīng
once
Structure
Subject + 曾经 + Verb + 过 + Object
How it works
曾经 (céngjīng) is an adverb used to indicate that an action or state occurred in the past. It is often paired with the aspect particle '过' to emphasize that the experience is finished and no longer exists. Unlike ‘已经’ (already), ‘曾经’ focuses purely on a past experience rather than the current result of an action.
Examples
孔子曾经带着学生周游各国14年。
Kǒngzǐ céngjīng dàizhe xuéshēng zhōuyóu gèguó shísì nián.
Confucius once took students around various countries for 14 years.
我曾经去过北京，那里的长城非常壮观。
Wǒ céngjīng qùguo Běijīng, nàlǐ de Chángchéng fēicháng zhuàngguān.
I have been to Beijing before; the Great Wall there is very magnificent.
他曾经是一名优秀的运动员。
Tā céngjīng shì yì míng yōuxiù de yùndòngyuán.
He once was an excellent athlete.
Common mistakes
Do not confuse '曾经' with '已经'. Use '曾经' for past experiences that are over (e.g., 'I used to live here'), but use '已经' for actions that have been completed and may still affect the present (e.g., 'I have already eaten').
Tip
If you see the particle '过' after a verb, '曾经' is usually a very safe and natural adverb to add to emphasize that past experience.
More HSK 5 grammar
See 曾经 in real Chinese
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