Chinese word

次

Pronunciation

Pinyincì

Meaning

  • measure wordtime

Example

我今天去过三次这家店。wǒ jīn tiān qù guò sān cì zhè jiā diàn

I have been to this store three times today.

Illustration for 次 (time)

More examples

他犯了三次同样的错误。tā fàn le sān cì tóng yàng de cuò wù

He made the same mistake three times.

Core concept

Turns repeated experience into distinct numbered occasions instead of one continuous stretch of activity.

Common phrases

  • 一次yí cì

    once

  • 三次sān cì

    three times

  • 几次jǐ cì

    how many times

Similar words

回huí: Counts one specific occurrence of an action or event.
遍biàn: Counts a whole action sequence completed once from start to finish.
趟tàng: Counts one trip or round of travel connected with a task or errand.

Definition in Chinese

用作量词，表示动作或事件发生的次数，用来计数经历或重复的回数，相当于“回”。yòng zuò liàng cí biǎo shì dòng zuò huò shì jiàn fā shēng de cì shù yòng lái jì shù jīng lì huò chóng fù de huí shù xiāng dāng yú huí

Word origin

Because 次 (cì, "next; sequence") expresses an order of things that follow, it naturally came to mark each occurrence in a repeated action.

Usage tips

  • English time can mean a clock moment or an occurrence, but this measure word counts visits, actions, or experiences rather than minutes or hours.

Other meanings

  • occasionnoun

Related words

Word lists with this word