“Nonstop” – 一个劲儿 yígèjìnr

Posted on by tiffany

OneDotDot Chinese
Grammar · HSK 7-9
Grammar Point · HSK 7-9

一个劲儿 yígèjìnr — “Nonstop” / “Incessantly”

一个劲儿 yígèjìnr is a colloquial, spoken expression for doing something over and over without stopping — often with real intensity behind it.

一個勁兒 yígèjìnr — Nonstop, Chinese grammar

一個勁兒 yígèjìnr goes before the verb, usually followed by 地 de — very spoken, very vivid, not something you’d write in a formal report.

1Structure

S + 一个劲儿 yígèjìnr + 地 de + V

Point

一个劲儿 yígèjìnr is a very colloquial, spoken expression — it belongs in conversation and casual storytelling, not formal writing or news reports.

她tā一个劲儿yígèjìnr地de哭kū，怎么zěnme劝quàn都dōu没用méiyòng。
She kept crying nonstop, no amount of comforting helped.
他tā一个劲儿yígèjìnr地de道歉dàoqiàn。
He kept apologizing over and over.
小xiǎo狗gǒu一个劲儿yígèjìnr地de摇yáo尾巴wěiba。
The puppy kept wagging its tail nonstop.
孩子háizi一个劲儿yígèjìnr地de要yào买mǎi玩具wánjù。
The child kept insisting on buying the toy.
外面wàimiàn一个劲儿yígèjìnr地de下雨xiàyǔ。
It kept raining outside nonstop.
他tā一个劲儿yígèjìnr往wǎng前qián跑pǎo，不bù敢gǎn回头huítóu。
He kept running forward without daring to look back.
大家dàjiā一个劲儿yígèjìnr地de鼓掌gǔzhǎng。
Everyone kept applauding nonstop.
FYI

This is a very typical mainland Chinese expression — almost never heard in Taiwan. In Taiwan, people reach for 一直 yìzhí or 狂 kuáng + V instead (e.g. 狂哭 kuáng kū, “crying like crazy”).

2Common Mistake

❌ 她tā一个劲儿yígèjìnr哭kū
✅ 她tā一个劲儿yígèjìnr地de哭kū
In careful writing, 一個勁兒 yígèjìnr needs 地 de before the verb — it marks the phrase as an adverbial, connecting it to the action.

3Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.

01He kept nodding continuously.
他tā一个劲儿yígèjìnr地de点头diǎntóu。
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02The baby kept crying nonstop last night.
昨晚zuówǎn宝宝bǎobao一个劲儿yígèjìnr地de哭kū。
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03She kept complaining without stopping.
她tā一个劲儿yígèjìnr地de抱怨bàoyuàn。
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04The wind kept blowing hard all night.
风fēng一个劲儿yígèjìnr地de吹chuī了le一yì整zhěng晚wǎn。
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05He kept insisting he was right.
他tā一个劲儿yígèjìnr地de说shuō自己zìjǐ是shì对duì的de。
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06The students kept asking questions.
学生们xuéshēngmen一个劲儿yígèjìnr地de提问tíwèn。
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07The car outside kept honking.
外面wàimiàn的de车chē一个劲儿yígèjìnr地de按àn喇叭lǎba。
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08She kept smiling the whole time.
她tā一个劲儿yígèjìnr地de笑xiào。
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Related Grammar

→All Adverbs of Frequency

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