How many times: 次, 遍, 下
去过两次, 再说一遍, 看一下: measure words that count actions instead of things.
Part of the free A2 Chinese course (about HSK 3). Examples are in Simplified characters with pinyin; press the speaker to hear one with your device's Chinese voice.
Counting actions
Measure words for things (Measure words: 个, 本, 杯, 张, 口, 只) come before the noun: 三本书. Chinese also has measure words for actions: they count how many times something happens. Number + action measure goes after the verb, like a length of time (How long: 学了两年, 等了半个小时).
| Measure | Pinyin | Counts | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 次 | cì | times, occasions | 去过两次 (qù guo liǎng cì), have been twice |
| 遍 | biàn | times through, from start to finish | 说一遍 (shuō yí biàn), say it once through |
| 下 | xià | quick, short actions; 一下 = "a bit" | 看一下 (kàn yíxià), have a quick look |
次: how many times
- 我去过三次上海。(Wǒ qù guo sān cì Shànghǎi.)I've been to Shanghai three times.
- 我一个星期去两次超市。(Wǒ yí gè xīngqī qù liǎng cì chāoshì.)I go to the supermarket twice a week.
- 这个药一天吃三次。(Zhè gè yào yì tiān chī sān cì.)Take this medicine three times a day.
第一次 (dì yī cì) = the first time: 这是我第一次吃饺子 (this is my first time eating dumplings).
Where the object goes
- A place or a thing can go on either side: 去过两次北京 or 去过北京两次, both fine.
- A pronoun (him, me, her) goes before the count: 我见过他两次, not
我见过两次他. A name can go on either side: 我见过王明两次 or 我见过两次王明.
遍: all the way through
遍 counts going through something from beginning to end: reading a book, listening to a song, saying a sentence.
- 这本书我看了三遍。(Zhè běn shū wǒ kàn le sān biàn.)I've read this book three times (cover to cover).
- 请再说一遍。(Qǐng zài shuō yí biàn.)Please say it again.
次 just counts occasions, so it often works where 遍 does: 再说一次 is fine too. But 遍 can't count trips or meetings, which have no "start to finish": 去过北京三遍.
一下: just a moment
一下 (yíxià) after a verb means doing it briefly, and it makes a request softer and friendlier:
- 请等一下。(Qǐng děng yíxià.)Please wait a moment.
- 我来介绍一下，这是我朋友王明。(Wǒ lái jièshào yíxià, zhè shì wǒ péngyou Wáng Míng.)Let me introduce you: this is my friend Wang Ming.
With other numbers, 下 counts quick movements like knocks: 他敲了三下门 (Tā qiāo le sān xià mén, he knocked on the door three times).
Common mistakes
我两次去过北京。→ 我去过两次北京, or 我去过北京两次. The count goes after the verb.我见过两次他。→ 我见过他两次。A pronoun goes before the count.我去过北京三遍。→ 我去过北京三次。Trips are counted with 次.请等等一下。→ 请等一下, or 请等等. Use one or the other, not both.
Practice
- 我来过这家饭馆两_____。(Wǒ lái guo zhè jiā fànguǎn liǎng ___.)Options: 次 (cì) · 遍 (biàn) · 本 (běn)
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次 (cì) — Visits are counted with 次; 遍 is for going through something from start to finish.
- 对不起，我没听清楚，请您再说_____。(Duìbuqǐ, wǒ méi tīng qīngchu, qǐng nín zài shuō ___.)Options: 一遍 (yí biàn) · 一本 (yì běn) · 一件 (yí jiàn)
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一遍 (yí biàn) — 遍 counts saying something through once. (一次 would also work here.)
- 这种药每天吃两_____。(Zhè zhǒng yào měi tiān chī liǎng ___.)
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次 — How many times: 次.
- Which sentence means 'I've met her three times'?Options: 我见过她三次。(Wǒ jiàn guo tā sān cì.) · 我见过三次她。(Wǒ jiàn guo sān cì tā.) · 我三次见过她。(Wǒ sān cì jiàn guo tā.)
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我见过她三次。(Wǒ jiàn guo tā sān cì.) — A pronoun like 她 goes before the count.