Difference between revisions of "Measure words for verbs"

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*两 <em>次</em> <span class="pinyin">zuò liǎng <em>cì</em></span><span class="trans">Do it twice.</span>
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*去 过 两 <em>次</em> <span class="pinyin">qù guo liǎng <em>cì</em></span><span class="trans">have been there twice.</span>
*拍 六 <em></em> <span class="pinyin">pāi liù <em>xià</em></span><span class="trans">Take it six times.</span>
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*说 了 很 多 <em></em> <span class="pinyin"> <em></em></span><span class="trans">have said it many times.</span>
*写 十 <em>页</em> <span class="pinyin">xiě shí <em>yè</em></span><span class="trans">Write ten pages.</span>
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*读 两 <em></em> <span class="trans">Read it twice.</span>
*跳 五 <em>次</em> <span class="pinyin">tiào wǔ <em>cì</em></span><span class="trans">Jump five times.</span>
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*已经 听 了 十几 <em></em> <span class="trans">have already listened to it ten times.</span>
*打 三 <em>下</em><span class="pinyin">dǎ sān <em>xià</em></span><span class="trans">Hit him three times.</span>
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*打 三 <em>下</em><span class="pinyin">dǎ le sān <em>xià</em></span><span class="trans">Hit  
*亲 一 <em>下</em><span class="pinyin">qīn yī <em>xià</em></span><span class="trans">Kiss once.</span>
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three times.</span>
*画 七 <em>幅</em><span class="pinyin">huà qī <em>fú</em></span><span class="trans">Draw 7 paintings.</span>
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*拍 它 几 <em>下</em> <span class="pinyin">pāi liù <em>xià</em></span><span class="trans">Pat it a few times.</span>
*背 二 十 <em>遍</em> <span class="pinyin">bèi èrshí <em>biàn</em></span><span class="trans">Recite twenty times.</span>
 
  
 
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Revision as of 03:49, 27 July 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

  • 去 过 两 qù guo liǎng have been there twice.
  • 说 了 很 多 have said it many times.
  • 读 两 Read it twice.
  • 已经 听 了 十几 have already listened to it ten times.
  • 打 了 三 dǎ le sān xiàHit

three times.

  • 拍 它 几 pāi liù xiàPat it a few times.

See also