Chinese Conversation · Level 77
90 words
Chinese word
一旦
Pronunciation
Pinyinyī dàn
Meaning
- adverbonce
Example
如果一旦下雨，我们就改天去。rú guǒ yí dàn xià yǔ wǒ men jiù gǎi tiān qù
Once it rains, we'll go another day.
More examples
一旦决定了，就不要后悔。yí dàn jué dìng le jiù bú yào hòu huǐ
Once you've decided, don't regret it.
Core concept
A narrow time gate: once an event crosses it, the next result follows, or a temporary state begins.
Common phrases
一旦...就...yí dàn jiù
once ___ then ___
一旦决定yí dàn jué dìng
once decided
Similar words
一经yì jīng: Marks a completed event as the point after which a result or measure promptly follows.
万一wàn yī: Introduces a condition involving something that may happen but is not likely to happen.
Definition in Chinese
表示一旦某事发生，另一件事就会发生，常用于构成“一旦...就...”的条件句，强调以某事为触发点。biǎo shì yí dàn mǒu shì fā shēng lìng yí jiàn shì jiù huì fā shēng cháng yòng yú gòu chéng yí dàn jiù de tiáo jiàn jù qiáng diào yǐ mǒu shì wèi chù fā diǎn
Word origin
The parts 一 (yī, "one") and 旦 (dàn, "dawn") suggest one clearly marked moment, which developed into a word for a triggering point and, in some contexts, a temporary situation.
Usage tips
- English can use one form for a past event and for a condition, but this Chinese adverb usually signals a condition or a limited state, so the surrounding context matters.