Chinese–EnglishWith examples

曾

céng · ceng/zēng · zeng/Zēng · zeng

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 4

Meaning

CC-CEDICT

céng 曾

  1. once
  2. already
  3. ever (in the past)
  4. former
  5. previously
  6. (past tense marker used before verb or clause)

zēng 曾

  1. great- (grandfather, grandchild etc)

Zēng 曾

  1. surname Zeng
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In a conversation

0:17 cartoon

Have you been to Shanghai?

  1. Leon

    你(nǐ)曾经(céngjīng)去(qù)过(guò)上海(shànghǎi)吗(ma)？

    Have you ever been to Shanghai?

  2. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)曾(céng)去(qù)过(guò)一次(yīcì)，那(nà)时候(shíhou)我(wǒ)七岁(qīsuì)。

    I went once, when I was seven.

  3. Liangliang

    我(wǒ)也(yě)曾经(céngjīng)去(qù)过(guò)，还(hái)迷路(mílù)了(le)。

    I once went too, and I got lost.

  4. Leon

    在(zài)哪里(nǎlǐ)迷路(mílù)？

    Where did you get lost?

  5. Liangliang

    在(zài)地铁站(dìtiězhàn)里(lǐ)，我(wǒ)走(zǒu)了(le)一个(yīgè)小时(xiǎoshí)。

    In the subway station. I walked for an hour.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

他(tā)曾(céng)在(zài)北(Běi)京(jīng)住(zhù)过(guo)三(sān)年(nián)。

He once lived in Beijing for three years.

02

我(wǒ)不(bù)曾(céng)想(xiǎng)到(dào)事(shì)情(qing)会(huì)这(zhè)样(yàng)发(fā)展(zhǎn)。

I never expected things would develop this way.

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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