Comparing "bian" and "ci"

NEW VERSION!

Both 遍 (biàn) and 次 (cì) are commonly used measure words that mean how many times an action is done. Both are used in formal and informal settings. Their difference is 遍 (biàn) means doing an action all the way from the beginning to the end, whereas 次 (cì) means the total number of times an action occurs.

	遍 (biàn)	次 (cì)
Meaning	doing an action from beginning to end	number of times an action occurs
Part of Speech	measure word	measure word
Formality	flexible	flexible

To show that an action is done from beginning to end use 遍 (biàn)

Common Phrases

This is pretty straightforward, when you do something all the way from the beginning to the end use 遍 (biàn).

• 再 说 一 遍 zài shuō yī biàn say again from beginning to end

• 再 听 一 遍 zài tīng yī biàn listen again from beginning to end

• 再 读 一 遍 zài dú yī biàn read again from beginning to end

Example Sentences

Again, only 遍 (biàn) can used to mean to do an action from beginning to end.

• 你 可以 再 说 一 遍 吗？
• 我 看 过 两 遍 这个 电影。
• 我 很 喜欢 这 本 书，我 看 了 五 遍。
• 这个 歌 我 每天 都 听 一 遍。
• 请 写 十 遍 这个 汉字。
• 我 和 你 说 了 两 遍，你 不 可能 不 知道。

To show the total number of times an action occurs use 次 (cì)

Common Phrases

This is also pretty clear, when you want to show the total number of times an action occurs use 次 (cì).

• 看 过 一 次 kàn guò yī cì watched one time

• 听 过 三 次 ting guò sān cì listened three times

• 去 过 几 次 qù guò jǐ cì went several times

Example Sentences

Again, to show the the total number of times an action occurs use 次 (cì).

• 我 去 过 两 次 上海。
• 我 看过 三 次 这个 电影。
• 我 很 喜欢 红烧肉，我 已经 吃 过 很多 次 了。
• 他 一 个 星期 去 两 次 健身房 。

To reference a specific time or the specific instance an action is occurs use 次 (cì)

Common Phrases

To show this time, next time, every time, the first time, etc. use 次 (cì).

• 这 次 zhè cì this time

• 下 次 xià cì next time

• 每 次 měi cì every time

• 第一 次 dì-yī cì the first time

Example Sentences

Again, use 次 (cì) to reference the specific time or instance an action is done.

• 今天 没有 时间 ， 我们 下 次 学习 。
• 这次 的 旅游 很 好玩。
• 我 每次 上课 以前 都 会 准备 。

OLD VERSION!!!!!

Both 遍 (biàn) and 次 (cì) mean how many “times” an action is done.

Sometimes 遍 (biàn) and 次 (cì) can be used interchangeably, each with slightly different meaning.

	遍 (biàn)	次 (cì)
Meaning	doing an action from beginning to end	number of times an action occurs
Part of Speech	measure word	measure word
Formality	formal and informal	formal and informal

The key difference between these words is 遍 means doing an action all the way from the beginning to the end, whereas 次 means the total number of times an action occurs.

Similarities

Common Phrases

These phrases work with both 遍 and 次, although the meaning is slightly different.

• 看 过 很多 遍 kàn guò hěn duō biàn watched many times from beginning to end
• 看 过 很多 次 kàn guò hěn duō cì watched many times

Example Sentences

In the following sentences, both 遍 and 次 can be used interchangeably:

• 我看过三遍这个电影。
• 我看过三次这个电影。

Differences

Common Phrases

These phrases only work with 遍：

• 再 说 一 遍 zài shuō yī biàn say again from beginning to end

• 再 听 一 遍 zài tīng yī biàn listen again from beginning to end

Example Sentences

In the following sentences, only 遍 can be used:

• 你可以再说一遍吗？
• 我很喜欢这本书，我看了五遍。
• 这个歌我每天都听一遍。
• 请写十遍这个汉字。
• 我和你说了两遍，你不可能不知道。

Common Phrases

These phrases work only with 次：

• 去一 次 qù yī cì go one time

• 去过多 次 qù guò cì went many times

Example Sentences

In the following sentences, only 次 can be used:

• 我去过三次上海。
• 我玩过一次这个游戏。
• 我想再去一次云南。
• 我们认识，我们在上海见过很多次。
• 我很喜欢红烧肉，我已经吃过很多次了。