1.
normally; usually; in ordinary circumstances (adverb)
Used to describe what typically happens or what is the standard situation. Slightly more formal than 普通 or いつも.
通常は八時に始まる。
It usually starts at eight o'clock.
通常、この薬は食後に服用します。
This medicine is normally taken after meals.
2.
the normal / regular state (noun, often as 通常の or 通常通り)
Used as a noun-modifier or adverbial phrase meaning "normal" or "as usual," especially in business and announcements: 通常通り (as usual), 通常営業 (regular business hours).
通常の値段より安い。
It's cheaper than the regular price.
通常通り営業しております。
We are open as usual.
システム障害が復旧し、現在は通常の状態に戻っております。
The system failure has been resolved, and we are now back to the normal state.
台風の影響で遅延していた電車は、先ほど通常運転に戻った。
The trains that had been delayed due to the typhoon returned to normal operation a short while ago.
通常 means "normally," "usually," or "the regular state." It functions both as a noun and as an adverb. Compared with 普通 (the most common everyday word for "usual"), 通常 is more formal and is heavily used in business, official announcements, news, and instructions.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 通常通り: as usual (very common in announcements)
- 通常営業: regular business hours
- 通常運転: normal operation (trains)
- 通常価格: regular price
- 通常業務: ordinary work / regular operations
- 通常に戻る: to return to normal
- 通常は: normally; usually (sentence-initial adverb)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 普通: usual, normal (most common everyday word; less formal)
- いつも: always (frequency-based, not register-marked)
- 通例: as a rule, ordinarily (literary)
- 一般に: generally
- 平常: usual, normal (often used for "평상시" or "flat/calm" state, e.g. 平常心 "calm mind")
USAGE NOTES:
- 通常通り is one of the most useful collocations for business announcements: "We are open as usual."
- The pair 通常/特別 (regular/special) is common in pricing and service descriptions: 通常コース vs 特別コース.
- In speech, 普通 replaces 通常 casually: 普通は~ (Normally ~).