次 cì time
measure word for times an action happens
How to remember 次: 冫 ice + 欠 to lack = time. On the ice rink the skater seems to lack any balance and falls again and again, and her coach counts each time she falls.
Component breakdown
次 = 冫 ice + 欠 to lack
- 冫 ice
- 欠 to lack
On the ice rink the skater seems to lack any balance and falls again and again, and her coach counts each time she falls.
How it came to be
A figure with the mouth wide and two strokes for what comes out: a yawn, or a sneeze. One follows another, and each is counted: the first time, the second time.
How it is used
- "A time (an occurrence)" - 一次 (yí cì) once, 三次 (sān cì) three times, 下次 (xià cì) next time. It counts repeats of a whole action.
- Trap: 次 counts occurrences; 遍 (biàn) counts times through from start to finish (读三遍 read it through three times). Ordinal use: 第一次 (dì-yī cì) the first time.
Characters built with 次
Words with 次
- 其次qícìnextHSK 4
- 再次zàicìonce moreHSK 4
- 此次cǐcìthis timeHSK 4
- 一次性yícìxìngone-off (offer)HSK 5
- 首次shǒucìfirstHSK 5
- 场次chǎngcìthe number of showings of a movie, play etcHSK 6
- 层次céngcìlayerHSK 6
- 次数cìshùnumber of timesHSK 6
- 人次réncìperson-timesHSK 7
- 名次míngcìposition in a ranking of namesHSK 7
- 次序cìxùsequenceHSK 7
- 次日cìrìnext dayHSK 7
- 次要cìyàosecondaryHSK 7
- 三番五次sānfān-wǔcìover and over again (idiom)HSK 8
- 依次yīcìin orderHSK 8
- 屡次lǚcìrepeatedlyHSK 8
- 档次dàngcìgradeHSK 9
- 次品cìpǐnsubstandard productsHSK 9
Example sentences
- 这是一次事故。 Zhè shì yí cì shìgù.There was an accident.
- 我们都参加了这次会议。 Wǒmen dōu cānjiāle zhè cì huìyì.We all attended the conference.
- 我们很满意这次的旅行。 Wǒmen hěn mǎnyì zhè cì de lǚxíng.We are very satisfied with this trip.
- 这次赛跑他用了13秒。 Zhè cì sàipǎo tā yòngle shísān miǎo.He took thirteen seconds to complete the race.