Measure words for verbs

When a verb is done more than once, it also requires a measure word to accompany it. This way the measure word is acting as a way to count the frequency or re-occurrence of an action.

Structure

Verb + Number + Measure Word

The grammar pattern is very similar to English. For example, "看三次" and "saw three times" mirror each other in structure. In Chinese sentences, these measure words can either come after the verb (as a complement) or before the word (as an adverb). You should also know that, like nouns, some verbs have special measure words to go with them. The basic verbal measure word, however, is 次.

Examples

• 再 说 一 遍 。Zài shuō yī biàn.Say it again.
• 你 能 再 读 一 遍 吗 ？Nǐ néng zài dú yī biàn ma?Could you please read it again?
• 这个 电影 我 看 过 两 遍 。Zhège diànyǐng wǒ kàn guo liǎng biàn.Read it twice.
• 我们 去 过 两 次 。Wǒme qù guo liǎng cì.We've been there twice.
• 我 问 了 他 很 多 次 ，可是 他 不 告诉 我 。Wǒ wèn le tā hěn duō cì, kěshì tā bù gàosu wǒ.I've asked him about it many times, but he wouldn't tell me.
• 这个 问题 我们 讨论 过 几 次 。Zhège wèntí wǒmen tǎolùn guo jǐ cì.We've discussed this a few times.
• 那个 红 头发 的 男孩 打 了 我 三 下 。Nàge hóng tóufa de nánhái dǎ le wǒ sān xià.That red-haired boy hit me three times.
• 你 没 听见 我 敲门 吗 ？我 敲 了 五 下 。Nǐ méi tīngjiàn wǒ qiāo mén ma? Wǒ qiāo le wǔ xià.Did you not hear I was knocking at the door? I knocked five times.

See also

• Measure words for counting
• Measure words to differentiate
• Measure words in quantity questions