Measure words for verbs

Also known as: 动量词 (dòng liàngcí), verbal measure word and verbal classifier.

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. The most basic one you probably already know is 次 (cì).

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 come after the verb. 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, as in the number of "times" something is done or happens.

Common verb measure words include 次 (cì), 遍 (biàn), and 下 (xià).

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.I've seen this movie twice.
• 这个 故事 我 听 她 说 过 一 百 多 遍 了 。Zhège gùshi wǒ tīng tā shuō guo yī bǎi duō biàn le.I've heard her tell this story more than one hundred times.
• 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 won'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 issue 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.
• 他 轻轻 地 拍 了 我 两 下 。Tā qīngqīng de pāi le wǒ liǎng xià.He very lightly pat me a few times.
• 你 没 听见 吗 ？我 敲 了 好 几 下 。Nǐ méi tīngjiàn ma? Wǒ qiāo le hǎo jǐ xià.Did you not hear the door? I knocked quite a few times.

See also

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

Sources and further reading

Books

• HSK Standard Course 2 (pp. 109) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

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