Correct
曾 vs 曾经
/ céng vs céngjīng /
Strokes
Formula
1
不曾 (never before)
2
未曾 (never before)
3
何曾 (used in a rhetorical statement to mean "have not", "did not")
4
似曾 (seem to be)
5
时曾相识 (seen to have met before)
Definition
曾 and 曾经 both are Adverbs, which means [once before].
Example
曾 and 曾经 both words indicate that sth. once happened before. 曾 is more literary than 曾经.
1
Tā
他
céngjīng
曾经
(
zēng
曾
)
qù
去
guò
过
yī
一
cì
次
hǎinándǎo
海南岛
。
He has been to Hainan Island once.
2
Zhèlǐ
这里
céngjīng
曾经
(
zēng
曾
)
shì
是
gǔdài
古代
de
的
zhànchǎng
战场
。
The place was once an ancient battlefield.
曾 can be used in 不曾 (never before), 未曾 (never before), 何曾 (used in a rhetorical statement to mean "have not", "did not"), 似曾 (seem to be), etc. 曾经 cannot be used in these phrases.
不曾 (never before)
未曾 (never before)
何曾 (used in a rhetorical statement to mean "have not", "did not")
似曾 (seem to be)
3
Wǒ
我
cónglái
从来
bùzēng
不曾
jiàn
见
guò
过
xuěshān
雪山
。
I have never seen a snowy mountain.
4
Tā
他
wèicéng
未曾
xiǎng
想
guò
过
zhè
这
pān
番
dàoli
道理
。
He has never thought of this argument.
5
Wǒ
我
shuōyībùèr
说一不二
,
hécéng
何曾
shuōhuà
说话
bù
不
suànshù
算数
guò
过
?
I stand by my words. Have you ever known that I do not?
The negative form of 曾经 is not 不曾经, but 不曾 or 未曾.
6
Tā
他
bùcéng
不曾
qù
去
guò
过
xiānggǎng
香港
。
He has never been to Hong Kong.
7
Tā
他
de
的
huà
画
zài
在
tā
他
shēngqián
生前
wèicéng
未曾
fābiǎo
发表
guò
过
。
His paintings were never published during his lifetime.
曾 can be used in idiomatic phrases such as 时曾相识 (seen to have met before)
时曾相识 (seen to have met before)
8
Tā
他
duì
对
zhèlǐ
这里
de
的
jǐngwù
景物
hǎoxiàng
好像
sìzēngxiāngshí
似曾相识
,
dàn
但
yòu
又
bù
不
jìde
记得
héshí
何时
céngjīng
曾经
lái
来
guò
过
。
He seemed to be familiar with the scenery here, but he couldn't remember when he had been here.
9
Tāmen
他们
chūcì
初次
xiāngjiàn
相见
dōu
都
yǒushí
有时
zēng
曾
xiāngshí
相识
de
的
gǎnjué
感觉
。
The first time they met, they all had the feeling of having known each other.