you, zai, and hai

Synonyms of “Again” in Chinese

Posted on by tiffany

The three words 再 zài, 又 yòu, and 还 hái indicate the repetition of the same action and can be translated to “again” in English, but they are not interchangeable. Each one expresses a different type of repetition depending on time, expectation, or the action itself.

Structure

S + 再 zài + V

再 zài is used for an action that has not happened yet but will happen again later. It often expresses: one more time, future repetition or another attempt.

妳nǎi说shuō错cuò了le， 请qǐng你nǐ再zài说shuō一次yícì
You’re wrong. Please say it again.
(An imperative sentence)

我们wǒmen再zài试shì一次yícì
Let’s try one more time.

她tā今天jīntiān不bú在家zàijiā， 你nǐ明天míngtiān再zài来lái吧ba
She is not at home today, come back again tomorrow.

我wǒ绝对juéduì不会búhuì再zài去qù那nà家jiā餐厅cāntīng
I will never go back to that restaurant again.

S + 又 yòu + V

又 yòu is used when something has already happened, is happening now, or repeats regularly. It often expresses: repeated events, repeated situations or complaints. It is often used with a 了 le at the end of the sentence.

However, 又 yòu can also be used in a hypothetical action. If there is an optative verb (such as 想 xiǎng, 要 yào, 希望 xīwàng), always put 又 yòu before it.

他tā又yòu迟到chídào了le
He was late again.

你nǐ又yòu忘wàng了le！
You forgot again!

妳nǐ上次shàngcì说shuō错cuò， 这次zhècì又yòu说shuō错cuò了le
You were wrong last time, and you’re wrong again this time.

如果rúguǒ我wǒ又yòu想xiǎng去qù那家nàjiā餐厅cāntīng， 那nà我wǒ一定yídìng是shì醉zuì了le
If I want to go to that restaurant again, then I must be drunk.
(hypothesis action)

S + 还 hái + 要 yào / 会 huì / 想 xiǎng + V

还 hái suggests a prearranged or pre-planned repetition, meaning it depends on your willingness. Although 还 hái is sometimes translated as “again,” its core meaning is continuation or addition, not repetition.

Unlike 再 zài and 又 yòu, it cannot directly connect with a verb. However, it can be used with 再 zài for emphasis.

还hái要yào我wǒ再zài说shuō一次yícì吗ma？
Do you still want me to say it again?

明天míngtiān还hái会huì下雨xiàyǔ吗ma？
Will it still rain tomorrow? (implying it has been raining)

这zhè病bìng需要xūyào时间shíjiān， 我wǒ下星期xiàxīngqī还huán要yào去qù看医生kànyìshēng
This sickness takes time, I have to go to the doctor next week again.

那nà本běn书shū我wǒ还没háiméi看kàn完wán， 所以suǒyǐ明天míngtiān我wǒ还huán会huì去qù图书馆túshūguǎn
I haven’t finished the book yet, so I’ll go back to the library tomorrow again.

我wǒ还hái想xiǎng再zài去qù一次yícì欧洲ōuzhōu
I would like to go to Europe again.

How about 重 chóng？

The function of 重 chóng is not really like a word or grammar, is more like a word root “re-” in English. It is always combined with a verb. It emphasizes redoing, not simply repeating.

听说tīngshuō老板lǎobǎn要yào你nǐ把bǎ报告bàogào重做chóngzuò
I heard that your boss wants you to redo the report.

电脑diànnǎo重chóng开机kāijī后hòu应该yìnggāi会huì比较bǐjiào快kuài
The computer should be faster after rebooting.

我wǒ再zài重chóng说shuō一次yícì， 这个zhège客户kèhù很hěn重要zhòngyào
Let me re-say it again, this customer is very important.

Practice

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