总是
HSK 3 (exam 2025)HSK 3 (2021)Old HSK 3
总是 (zǒngshì) · always
总是 (zǒngshì) means “always”. It is written with 2 characters: 总 (always) + 是 (to be). It is an HSK 3 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 总是 is built
The characters
总 zǒng · always
What 总 is made of
- 丷ha — kwukyel
- 丶 — dot
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 冂 — frame
- 心xīn — heart
Origin hint: Many mouths 口 speaking with one mind 心 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
是 shì · to be
What 是 is made of
- 日rì — sun; day
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 疋pǐ — foot shape
Origin hint: To speak 日 directly 疋 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
他总是很早起床。Tā zǒngshì hěn zǎo qǐchuáng.He always gets up early.
你为什么总是这么忙？Nǐ wèishénme zǒngshì zhème máng?Why are you always so busy?
Questions about 总是
What does 总是 mean?
总是 (zǒngshì) means “always”.
How do you pronounce 总是?
总是 is pronounced zǒngshì.
Which HSK level is 总是?
总是 is in HSK 3 (exam 2025) and HSK 3 (2021) and Old HSK 3.
Related words
- 总结zǒngjiéto sum up
- 总共zǒnggòngaltogether
- 总理zǒnglǐpremier
- 总统zǒngtǒngpresident (of a country)
- 总之zǒngzhīin short
- 总裁zǒngcáipresident (of a company)
- 总算zǒngsuànfinally
- 总而言之zǒng'éryánzhīin short
- 总和zǒnghésum
- 总zǒngalways
Learn 总是 with its group
It is part of HSK 3 (2021) · Group 84: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.