adverb HSK 5
all day long · the whole day · every day
Meaning
成日 means 'all day long' or 'the whole day,' emphasizing duration or frequency. It's commonly used in Southern dialects (especially Cantonese) but also appears in Mandarin to express that something happens continuously throughout the day or very frequently.
Usage
In Mandarin, 成日 is somewhat literary or regional and often appears in written language or influenced by Cantonese speakers. In everyday Mandarin conversation, speakers more commonly use 整天 (zhěng tiān) or 天天 (tiān tiān) for similar meanings. However, 成日 remains recognizable and is used to emphasize constant or repetitive action.
Examples
- 01他成日坐在电脑前工作。.He sits in front of the computer working all day long.
- 02孩子成日玩游戏，不做功课。, .The child plays games all day and doesn't do homework.
Characters
Common collocations
- 成日忙busy all day long
- 成日工作work all day
Origin
成 means 'whole' or 'complete,' and 日 means 'day.' Together they literally mean 'the whole day' or 'complete day,' expressing continuous duration.