最近在学生作业本中碰到“usually”与“often”的区别联系。之前我只知道它们都是频度副词，词义比较相近，于是上网找了一下，有位资深的老师给出了很好的区别与解释，于是我也自己查了下字典，理解的比较透彻。我认为用英语来解释英语词汇更有效也更精确。于是我也将这位老师的解释复制了过来，相信对其他对这个有问题的同行会有帮助

often 和usually尽管都被认为是频度副词，但含义是不一样的，而且两者的区别不是“频率”上的问题。朗文词典(第四版)：
1:many times（次数很多，经常）: I've often heard it said that is is the cleverest in class. I would like to go to Shanghai more often.

OFTEN 2: in many cases（在许多情况下）: Americans are often very tall. It is often difficult to translate poems.

USUALLY: in most cases（在大多数情况下）; generally（一般说来）: We're usually in bed by ten. I'm not usually so late. It's more than usually crowded today.

cf. USUAL: customary（惯常的）; in accordance with what happens or is done in most cases（在大多数情况下发生的）: We will meet at the usual time. I'd like to have my usual (said in a restaurant).

牛津词典(第四版)：

OFTEN 1: many times（次数很多地）; at short intervals, frequently（间隔很短地，频繁地）: We have been there quite often.
OFTEN 2: in many instances（在许多情况下）: These types of dog often have eye problems.  Old houses are often damp.

USUALLY: in the way that is usual（usual地）; most often（最常地）: What do you usually do on Sundays?

cf. USUAL: such as happens or is done or used, etc in many or most instances（在大多数情况下发生的）; customary（惯常地）: make all the usual excuses; As is usual with children, they soon got tired.

Collins COBUILD Dictionary:

OFTEN 1: If something OFTEN happens, it happens many times or much of the time.多次发生地，大部分时间在发生地 They often spent Christmas at Prescott Hill.
OFTEN 2: You use OFTEN after 'how", or in clauses, to give information about the frequency of something. How often do you go to Shanghai?  I don't do it as often as John. (USUALLY can't be used.)

USUALLY: If something USUALLY happens, it is the thing that most often happens in a particular situation.（在特定情况下最常发生地） The best informaiton about hotels usually comes from friends and acquaintances who have been there.

从上面可以看出，OFTEN 1是真正表示的频度的副词，可以翻译成“经常”；
而USUALLY与usual有关，表示“惯常地(in a customary way)；在通常的情况下(in most cases/instances)”，与“朗文”、“牛津”中OFTEN 2的含义类似。最明确的说明应当是Collins COBUILD词典中的“that most often happens in a particular situation”。换一个角度思考，USUALLY来自于usual，理解起来可能更容易。

从语用角度来说，I often go to Shanghai可以独句使用，比如发起话题。
而I usually go to Shanghai通常需要有上下文或情境才会显得自然。如果用此句发起话题，通常会有上下文对此句进行“抑制”，如I usually go to Shanghai in summer vacation, but this summer I'd like to have a change.。下面这句话中可以看出often和usually的区别They OFTEN eat out on the weekends, but USUALLY they choose the cheap but nice-looking cafeterias