Difference between revisions of "Measure words for verbs"

m (Text replacement - "</span> <span class=" to "</span><span class=")
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*写 十 <em>页</em> <span class="pinyin">xiě shí <em>yè</em></span><span class="trans">Write ten pages.</span>
 
*写 十 <em>页</em> <span class="pinyin">xiě shí <em>yè</em></span><span class="trans">Write ten pages.</span>
 
*跳 五 <em>次</em> <span class="pinyin">tiào wǔ <em>cì</em></span><span class="trans">Jump five times.</span>
 
*跳 五 <em>次</em> <span class="pinyin">tiào wǔ <em>cì</em></span><span class="trans">Jump five times.</span>
*打 他 三 <em>下</em><span class="pinyin">dǎ tā sān <em>xià</em></span> <span class="trans">Hit him three times.</span>
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*打 他 三 <em>下</em><span class="pinyin">dǎ tā sān <em>xià</em></span><span class="trans">Hit him three times.</span>
 
*亲 一 <em>下</em><span class="pinyin">qīn yī <em>xià</em></span><span class="trans">Kiss once.</span>
 
*亲 一 <em>下</em><span class="pinyin">qīn yī <em>xià</em></span><span class="trans">Kiss once.</span>
*画 七 <em>幅</em><span class="pinyin">huà qī <em>fú</em></span> <span class="trans">Draw 7 paintings.</span>
+
*画 七 <em>幅</em><span class="pinyin">huà qī <em>fú</em></span><span class="trans">Draw 7 paintings.</span>
 
*背 二 十 <em>遍</em> <span class="pinyin">bèi èrshí <em>biàn</em></span><span class="trans">Recite twenty times.</span>
 
*背 二 十 <em>遍</em> <span class="pinyin">bèi èrshí <em>biàn</em></span><span class="trans">Recite twenty times.</span>
  

Revision as of 03:46, 24 May 2017

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

  • 做 两 zuò liǎng Do it twice.
  • 拍 六 pāi liù xiàTake it six times.
  • 写 十 xiě shí Write ten pages.
  • 跳 五 tiào wǔ Jump five times.
  • 打 他 三 dǎ tā sān xiàHit him three times.
  • 亲 一 qīn yī xiàKiss once.
  • 画 七 huà qī Draw 7 paintings.
  • 背 二 十 bèi èrshí biànRecite twenty times.

See also