Comparing "bian" and "ci"

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











B1HSK4ASV4567
遍 (biàn) 次 (cì)
Meaning times an action has been completed from beginning to end number of times an action occurs
Part of Speech measure word measure word
Formality flexible flexible

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

When you want to show the total number of times an action occurs, use 次 (cì). In this case you're not emphasizing full completion. In some cases (such as going somewhere), there's no "partial completion" anyway, so just use 次 (cì).

次 is definitely more common, and the one you probably learned first.

Common Phrases

  • 看 过 一 kàn guò yī watched one time
  • 听 过 三 tīng guò sān listened three times
  • 去 过 几 qù guò jǐ went several times

Example Sentences

  • 我 去 过 两 上海。 Wǒ qù guo liǎng Shànghǎi.I've been to Shanghai twice.
  • 我 看过 三 这个 电影,但 每 次 都 没 看 完。 Wǒ kàn guo sān zhège diànyǐng, dàn měi cì dōu méi kàn wán.I've seen this movie three times, but I never finished it each time.
  • 我 很 喜欢 红烧肉,我 已经 吃 过 很多 了。 Wǒ hěn xǐhuan hóngshāoròu, wǒ yǐjīng chī guo hěn duō le.I like roast pork so much I've eaten it many times.
  • 他 一 个 星期 去 两 健身房 。 Tā yī gè xīngqī qù liǎng jiànshēnfáng.He goes to the gym twice a week.
  • 我 玩 过 几 这个 游戏,这个 游戏 还 不错。 Wǒ wán guo jǐ zhège yóuxì, zhège yóuxì hái bùcuò.I've played this game a few times and it's not a bad game.

To reference a specific time or instance, use 次 (cì)

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

Common Phrases

  • zhè this time
  • xià next time
  • měi every time
  • 第一 dì-yī the first time

Example Sentences

  • 今天 没有 时间 , 我们 下 次 学习 。 Jīntiān méiyǒu shíjiān, wǒmen xià cì xuéxí.No time today, we'll study next time.
  • 这 次 的 旅游 很 好玩。 zhè cì de lǚyóu hěn hǎowán.This trip was fun.
  • 每 次 上课 以前 都 会 准备 。 měi cì shàngkè yǐqián dōu huì zhǔnbèi.I prepare before every class.
  • 上 次 我 是 坐 飞机 回 美国 的。 shàng cì wǒ shì zuò fēijī huí Měiguó de.Last time I flew back to the United States.
  • 这 是 我 第一 次 来 中国。 Zhè shì wǒ dì-yī cì lái Zhōngguó.This is my first time in China.

When an action is done from beginning to end, use 遍 (biàn)

This is pretty straightforward. When you do something all the way from the beginning to the end use 遍 (biàn). This is common when talking about things like a sentence someone said, a story, or a song.

Common Phrases

  • 再 说 一 zài shuō yī biàn say it again (from beginning to end)
  • 再 听 一 zài tīng yī biàn listen again (from beginning to end)
  • 再 读 一 zài dú yī biàn read it again (from beginning to end)

Example Sentences

Again, use 遍 (biàn) only for actions done from beginning to end.

  • 你 可以 再 说 一 吗? Nǐ kěyǐ zài shuō yī biàn ma?Can you say it again?
  • 我 看 过 两 这个 电影。 Wǒ kàn guo liǎng biàn zhège diànyǐng.I've seen the movie twice.
  • 我 很 喜欢 这 本 书,我 看 了 五 Wǒ hěn xǐhuan zhè běn shū, wǒ kàn le wǔ biàn .I like this book so much that I have read it five times.
  • 这个 歌 我 每天 都 听 一 Zhège gē wǒ měi tiān dōu tīng yī biàn .I listen to this song once a day.
  • 请 写 十 这个 汉字。 Qǐng xiě shí biàn zhège hànzì.Please write this kanji ten times.
  • 我 和 你 说 了 两 ,你 不 可能 不 知道。 Wǒ hé nǐ shuō le liǎng biàn , nǐ bù kěnéng bù zhīdào.I've told you twice, you can't not know it.
  • 这个 电影 很 好看 , 我 想 再 看 一 Zhège diànyǐng hěn hǎokàn, wǒ xiǎng zài kàn yī biàn .This movie is so good that I want to see it again.
  • 我 已经 听 了 三、四 , 还是 听 不 懂。 Wǒ yǐjīng tīng le sān, sì biàn , háishì tīng bù dǒng.I have listened to it three or four times, but I still don't understand it.
  • 我 跟 你 说 过 很多 了 , 你 为什么 不 听 呢 ? Wǒ gēn nǐ shuō guo hěn duō biàn le, nǐ wèishénme bù tīng ne?I've told you many times, why don't you listen?

Sources and further reading

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