Synonym of Times in Chinese

There are 4 different measure words that can be translated into “time” in Mandarin Chinese: 次 cì, 遍 biàn, 趟 tàng, and 場场 chǎng. Let’s have a small quiz. Do you know which one is incorrect?

A – HSK 考試kǎoshì一yì年nián有yǒu幾jǐ遍biàn？ HSK 考试kǎoshì一yì年nián有yǒu几jī遍biàn？

B – 我wǒ要yào去qù一yí趟tàng台北Táiběi我wǒ要yào去qù一yí趟tàng台北Táiběi

次 cì

It emphasizes the frequency of a repeated action rather than the completion of an action or the time spent performing it. This is also the most common way of describing how frequently or how many times you have done something.

你nǐ再zài說shuō一yí次cì你nǐ再zài说shuō一yí次cì
Say it one more time.

我wǒ每天měitiān都dōu要yào喝hē三sān次cì咖啡kāfēi我wǒ每天měitiān都dōu要yào喝hē三sān次cì咖啡kāfēi
I drink coffee three times a day.

我wǒ已經yǐjīng去qù過guò幾jǐ次cì上海shànghǎi了le我wǒ已经yǐjīng去qù过guò几jī次cì上海shànghǎi了le
I’ve been to Shanghai a few times.

Note: This Measure Word can be placed either in front of an object or after the object.

遍 biàn

遍 biàn is used to indicate that something has been done or happened throughout an entire area or object. It is used with verbs or actions that involve going through a complete cycle. 次 cì can be used interchangeably with 遍 biàn, but 遍 biàn cannot be used in place of 次 cì.

這zhè本běn書shū我wǒ看kàn了le兩liǎng遍biàn这zhèi本běn书shū我wǒ看kàn了le两liǎng遍biàn
I have read this book twice.

這zhè衣服yīfú我wǒ洗xǐ了le三sān遍biàn還是háishì不bù乾淨gānjìng这zhèi衣服yīfu我wǒ洗xǐ了le三sān遍biàn还是háishì不bù干净gānjìng
I’ve washed this cloth three times, but it is still not clean.

洗衣機xǐyījī的de使用shǐyòng方法fāngfǎ我wǒ已經yǐjīng說shuō了le很hěn多duō遍biàn了le洗衣机xǐyījī的de使用shǐyòng方法fāngfǎ我wǒ已经yǐjīng说shuō了le很hěn多duō遍biàn了le
The use of the washing machine I have said many times.

場/场 chǎng

場场 chǎng is used to count the number of times an event or activity has taken place. It is often used for events or activities that involve a performance or competition.

今天jīntiān早上zǎoshàng下xià了le一yì場chǎng大雨dàyǔ今天jīntiān早上zǎoshang下xià了le一yì场chǎng大雨dàyǔ
There was heavy rain this morning.

我wǒ這個zhège月yuè要yào參加cānjiā兩liǎng場chǎng婚禮hūnlǐ我wǒ这个zhège月yuè要yào参加cānjiā两liǎng场chǎng婚礼hūnlǐ
I will attend two weddings this month.

台灣táiwān每年měinián有yǒu四sì場chǎng球賽qiúsài台湾táiwān每年měinián有yǒu四sì场chǎng球赛qiúsài
There are four games in Taiwan every year.

趟 tàng

趟 tàng is used to count the number of times a round trip is made or a journey is taken. It is used with verbs or actions that involve going and coming back.

我wǒ去qù了le上海shànghǎi一yí趟tàng我wǒ去qù了le上海shànghǎi一yí趟tàng
I went Shanghai one time.

這zhè車chē載zài了le兩liǎng趟tàng煤méi这zhè车chē载zài了le两liǎng趟tàng煤méi
This truck has transported two loads of coal.

因為yīnwèi孩子háizi病bìng得de很hěn嚴重yánzhòng， 所以suǒyǐ我wǒ一晚yìwǎn跑pǎo了le三sān趟tàng醫院yīyuàn因为yīnwèi孩子háizi病bìng得de很hěn严重yánzhòng， 所以suǒyǐ我wǒ一晚yìwǎn跑pǎo了le三sān趟tàng医院yīyuàn
My child is very sick, so I ran to the hospital 3 times a night.

Do they overlape with each other?

Yes, there can be some overlap between these counting words depending on the context in which they are used. For example, in some cases, both 次 cì and 趟 tàng can be used to count the number of times a journey or trip has been taken. Similarly, both 遍 biàn and 場场 chǎng can be used to describe the frequency of an event or activity. However, each counting word also has its own specific usage and nuance, so it’s important to use the correct one depending on the situation.

今年jīnnián夏天xiàtiān我wǒ去qù了le兩liǎng（ 趟tàng/ 次cì） 韓國Hánguó今年jīnnián夏天xiàtiān我wǒ去qù了le两liǎng（ 趟tàng/ 次cì） 韩国Hánguó
I went to Korea twice this summer.

日本Rìběn跟gēn韓國Hánguó比bǐ了le三sān（ 遍biàn/ 場chǎng） 的de棒球bàngqiú還是háishì沒méi分出fēnchū勝負shèngfù日本Rìběn跟gēn韩国Hánguó比bǐ了le三sān（ 遍biàn/ 场chǎng） 的de棒球bàngqiú还是háishì没méi分出fēnchū胜负shèngfù
Japan and Korea played three games of baseball and still did not know the winner.