曾经【céngjīng】

once, at one time, formerly, used to, ever, cengjing

Says something happened or was true at some time in the past and is over now, "once" or "at one time". It goes before the verb, usually with 过: 。 is "I went there once".

HSK 3

AI-generated

Structure

[subject] + 曾经 + [verb] + 过 + [object]

[subject] + 曾经 + [verb phrase]

Description

曾经 puts an event or a state at some point in the past and implies it's over. It goes after the subject and before the verb, and the verb usually takes 过.

。

I went there once.

。

He once lived in Beijing for three years.

It can also describe a past state that no longer holds, where English says "used to".

。

This used to be a small village.

曾经 sounds a little more formal than plain 过, and suits storytelling and writing.

曾经 or 已经

已经 says something is done by now and still matters now. 曾经 says it happened once and is in the past.

。

I've already eaten.

。

I once studied piano for two years.

× 我曾经吃饭了 → 我已经吃饭了

The negative

To say something has never happened, drop 曾经 and use 没(有) + verb + 过. 不曾 exists, but only in writing.

。

I've never been there.

× 我没曾经去过 → 我没去过
× 我不曾经去过 → 我没去过

Examples

。

I went there once.

。

He once lived in Beijing for three years.

。

This used to be a small village.

。

I once studied piano for two years.

。

Ms Wang once taught English at a university.

。

We were once best friends.

。

He told me about this once.

。

This restaurant was once very famous.

？

Have you ever thought of becoming a teacher?

。

Anna once worked at a bank.

。

We've discussed this question before.

。

When I was little I once swam in this river.

References

Expressing "once" with "cengjing"resources.allsetlearning.com

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