一般

• 拼音: yī bān
• 汉字拆解: 一 = 'one'; 般 = 舟 (boat) + 殳 (hand with tool), originally 'to carry,' extended to 'kind/sort'

含义

General; ordinary; so-so. Describes something as average, common, or not special.

Has two main uses: (1) as an adjective meaning 'ordinary' or 'average' — 一般的饭店 (an ordinary restaurant); (2) as an adverb meaning 'generally' or 'usually' — 我一般七点起床 (I usually get up at seven). When used to evaluate something, it often implies 'mediocre' or 'nothing special.'

例句

1. 这家餐厅的菜一般，不太好吃。
2. 我一般坐公交车上班。
3. 一般来说，冬天比较冷。

用法指南

语境: everyday, conversation

语气: neutral

正确说法

• 今天的考试一般，不难也不容易。(Today's exam was so-so — neither hard nor easy.)
• 她一般不吃辣的。(She generally doesn't eat spicy food.)

错误说法

• 这个电影太一般好了！(Don't combine 一般 with positive intensifiers like 太...好了 — they contradict. Say 太好了 or just 一般.)

起源与历史

Compound of 一 (one/same) and 般 (kind/sort), literally 'of one kind,' meaning ordinary or undistinguished.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal