次 Expressing Frequency

Learn how to express frequency in Chinese using the measure word 次 (cì) with three distinct usage patterns

Introduction to 次 (cì)

次 (cì) is a measure word specifically used to count occurrences or frequencies of actions. It is one of the most common measure words for expressing how many times something happens.

次

cì

Measure word for frequency

每

měi

Every, each

第

dì

Ordinal prefix

过

guò

Experience marker

Specified Frequency

Answers “Which time?” or “On which occasion?”

Pattern: Specifier + 次

Example: 上次 (last time)

Used with words like 上, 每, 第

Unspecified Frequency

Answers “How many times?”

Pattern: Number + 次

Example: 三次 (three times)

Simple counting of occurrences

Frequency with Time Period

Answers “How often?” within a period

Pattern: Period + Verb + Number + 次

Example: 每天三次 (three times a day)

Expresses regularity over time

Specified Frequency: “Which time?”

When used with a specifier, 次 tells you on which specific occasion something happened. It answers the question “Which time?” or “On which occasion?”

Subject + Specifier + 次 + Verb Phrase

Common Specifiers Used with 次

上 (shàng)

Last time, previous time

上次见到他 (shàng cì jiàndào tā)

The last time I saw him

每 (měi)

Every, each time

每次骑车 (měi cì qí chē)

Every time riding a bike

第 (dì) + Number

Ordinal (first, second, etc.)

第一次表白 (dì yī cì biǎobái)

The first time confessing

Example Sentences

Structure	Chinese Sentence	English Translation
S + 上 + 次 + V	我上次见到他，是三年前。 wǒ shàng cì jiàndào tā, shì sān nián qián.	The last time I saw him was 3 years ago.
S + 每 + 次 + V	他每次骑自行车，都戴耳机。 tā měi cì qí zìxíngchē, dōu dài ěrjī.	Every time he rides a bicycle, he wears headphones.
S + 第 + Num + 次 + V	我第一次跟女生表白，很紧张。 wǒ dì yī cì gēn nǚshēng biǎobái, hěn jǐnzhāng.	I was very nervous the first time I confessed to a girl.

Key Points

Specifiers like 上, 每, 第 come before 次 to indicate which specific occurrence is being referred to.

When using 第 for ordinal numbers, the pattern is always: 第 + Number + 次

✓ 第一次 (dì yī cì) – First time

✓ 第二次 (dì èr cì) – Second time

✓ 第三次 (dì sān cì) – Third time

Unspecified Frequency: “How many times?”

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Frequency with Time Period: “How often?”

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Summary: Three Uses of 次

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Practice Exercises

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次 Expressing Frequency

次 Expressing Frequency

Introduction to 次 (cì)

Specified Frequency

Unspecified Frequency

Frequency with Time Period

1 Specified Frequency: “Which time?”

Common Specifiers Used with 次

Example Sentences

Key Points

2 Unspecified Frequency: “How many times?”

3 Frequency with Time Period: “How often?”

Summary: Three Uses of 次

Practice Exercises

Specified Frequency: “Which time?”

Unspecified Frequency: “How many times?”

Frequency with Time Period: “How often?”