Action measure words: 次/遍/趟/顿/场
Action measure words (动量词) count how many times an action happens and go after the verb, as in 去一次. At this level they are 次 (times in general), 遍 (a whole run through), 趟 (a trip), 顿 (a meal or scolding) and 场 (an event).
Five key action measure words:
| Measure | Usage | Example |
|---------|-------|---------|
| 次 cì | general occurrences | 说了三次 |
| 遍 biàn | complete process, start→end | 读了两遍 |
| 趟 tàng | trips/visits to a place | 去了一趟 |
| 顿 dùn | meals or scoldings | 吃了一顿、骂了一顿 |
| 场 chǎng | events/performances/rain | 下了一场雨、看了一场戏 |
Object placement: object goes before the frequency phrase:
> 我看了那部电影两遍。✅ (not: 我看了两遍那部电影)
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 我今天做了一顿丰盛的晚饭。 | Wǒ jīntiān zuò le yī dùn fēngshèng de wǎnfàn. | I cooked a hearty dinner today. | 顿 = measure for a meal |
| 昨晚下了一场大雨，地上都湿了。 | Zuó wǎn xià le yī chǎng dà yǔ, dì shàng dōu shī le. | There was a heavy rain last night — everything on the ground got wet. | 场 = measure for a rain event or performance |
| 他被老板骂了一顿，心情很差。 | Tā bèi lǎobǎn mà le yī dùn, xīnqíng hěn chà. | He got a tongue-lashing from the boss and was in a terrible mood. | 顿 extended to verbal rebuke: 骂了一顿 |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
次 (cì)
The general counter for how many times something happens.
Structure: V + number + 次; V + pronoun + number + 次
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我去过那家饭馆三次。 | Wǒ qù guo nà jiā fàn guǎn sān cì. | I have been to that restaurant three times. |
| 这个词我听了好几次。 | Zhè ge cí wǒ tīng le hǎo jǐ cì. | I have heard this word several times. |
| 他每个星期游泳两次。 | Tā měi ge xīng qī yóu yǒng liǎng cì. | He swims twice a week. |
Not: 我见过两次他。 A pronoun object goes before the number: 我见过他两次。
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 2, measure words (动量词).
次 is also explained in: Quantity Complements: Action Count and Comparison Degree (HSK 2) · Duration & Frequency Complements (HSK 3) · Frequency complement: V+次/遍/趟 (HSK 4).
遍 (biàn)
Counts a whole action from start to finish, such as reading or saying something through.
Structure: V + number + 遍
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 请再说一遍。 | Qǐng zài shuō yí biàn. | Please say it once more. |
| 这首歌我听了五遍。 | Zhè shǒu gē wǒ tīng le wǔ biàn. | I listened to this song five times through. |
| 课文我读了三遍才记住。 | Kè wén wǒ dú le sān biàn cái jì zhù. | I read the text three times before I remembered it. |
Not: 我去了一遍商店。 遍 counts a full run through something; a trip to a shop uses 趟 or 次.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 3, measure words (动量词).
遍 is also explained in: Classifiers: 层、封、件、条、位 and Action Measures (HSK 2) · Duration & Frequency Complements (HSK 3) · Frequency complement: V+次/遍/趟 (HSK 4).
趟 (tàng)
Counts trips to a place and back.
Structure: V + number + 趟; 去/回 + 一趟 + place
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我下午要去一趟银行。 | Wǒ xià wǔ yào qù yí tàng yín háng. | I have to go to the bank this afternoon. |
| 他今天跑了两趟。 | Tā jīn tiān pǎo le liǎng tàng. | He made two trips today. |
| 你什么时候回一趟老家？ | Nǐ shén me shí hou huí yí tàng lǎo jiā? | When will you go back to your hometown? |
Not: 我读了一趟书。 趟 is only for trips; reading uses 遍 or 次.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 4, measure words (动量词).
趟 is also explained in: Frequency complement: V+次/遍/趟 (HSK 4).
顿 (dùn)
Counts meals and also scoldings or beatings.
Structure: V + number + 顿
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 周末我们在家吃了一顿饺子。 | Zhōu mò wǒ men zài jiā chī le yí dùn jiǎo zi. | At the weekend we had a dumpling meal at home. |
| 他一天吃三顿饭。 | Tā yì tiān chī sān dùn fàn. | He eats three meals a day. |
| 妈妈把弟弟说了一顿。 | Mā ma bǎ dì di shuō le yí dùn. | Mom gave my brother a talking-to. |
Not: 我吃了三顿苹果。 顿 counts whole meals or scoldings, not a single food item.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 4, measure words (动量词).
顿 is also explained in: Advanced Measure Words: Nominal and Verbal (HSK 6).
场 (chǎng)
Counts events such as games, films, performances and exams.
Structure: V + number + 场 + event
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 昨天有一场足球比赛。 | Zuó tiān yǒu yì chǎng zú qiú bǐ sài. | There was a football match yesterday. |
| 我们看了一场电影。 | Wǒ men kàn le yì chǎng diàn yǐng. | We watched a film. |
| 明天有一场考试。 | Míng tiān yǒu yì chǎng kǎo shì. | There is an exam tomorrow. |
Not: 我们看了一趟电影。 Films, matches and exams are counted with 场, not 趟.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 4, measure words (动量词).
Compared side by side: 次 vs 遍.
What you need first
Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.
Questions about Action measure words
What does 动量词 (Action measure words) mean in Chinese?
Action measure words (动量词) count how many times an action happens and go after the verb, as in 去一次. At this level they are 次 (times in general), 遍 (a whole run through), 趟 (a trip), 顿 (a meal or scolding) and 场 (an event). It is an HSK 4 grammar point.
How do you use 动量词 (Action measure words) in a sentence?
我今天做了一顿丰盛的晚饭。 — Wǒ jīntiān zuò le yī dùn fēngshèng de wǎnfàn. — I cooked a hearty dinner today. 顿 = measure for a meal.
What do you need to know before 动量词 (Action measure words)?
Frequency complement (HSK 4). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.
Where does the object go with an action measure word?
A pronoun goes before the measure phrase: 我见过他两次。 A place or a short noun can go either side: 我去过两次北京 or 我去过北京两次。
What is the difference between 次 and 遍?
次 counts occurrences. 遍 counts one complete run from start to end, so 看了两遍 means you watched it all the way through twice.
Action measure words is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
Start at your true level