常温
cháng wēn · HSK 7
temperature
🌡️ cháng (constant) + wēn (warm) = constantly warm, i.e. room temperature
常 means constant or ordinary, 温 means warm or temperature. Together they describe the default warmth of a room — neither heated nor cooled, just the ordinary ambient temperature.
常 — 巾 (cloth) + 尚 (phonetic, 'esteem')
Originally written 裳, 常 was a phono-semantic compound: 巾 ('cloth') gave the meaning and 尚 supplied the sound, referring to a long lower garment or skirt. Over time the meaning shifted from 'everyday garment' to 'ordinary, regular, constant', while 裳 took over the original clothing sense.