阵 vs 次: what is the difference?
次 simply counts how many times something happened. 阵 counts a short spell that comes and goes, such as rain, wind, applause or pain: 下了一阵雨. You cannot use 阵 for something that happened at a fixed moment, such as an exam.
| Word | Pinyin | What it does | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 阵 | zhèn | Counts a short spell of an event or weather, such as rain, wind, laughter or pain. | V + 了 + 一阵 (+ noun) |
| 次 | cì | Counts how many times something happened, including events that happen at a fixed moment. | Verb + number + 次 |
阵 (zhèn)
Counts a short spell of an event or weather, such as rain, wind, laughter or pain.
Structure: V + 了 + 一阵 (+ noun)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 外面传来一阵笑声。 | Wài miàn chuán lái yí zhèn xiào shēng. | A burst of laughter came from outside. |
| 他咳嗽了一阵，才慢慢停下来。 | Tā ké sou le yí zhèn, cái màn màn tíng xià lái. | He coughed for a while before he slowly stopped. |
| 刮了一阵风，树叶落了一地。 | Guā le yí zhèn fēng, shù yè luò le yí dì. | A gust of wind blew and leaves covered the ground. |
Not: 桌子上有一阵书。 阵 counts short spells of events, never physical things.
次 (cì)
Counts how many times something happened, including events that happen at a fixed moment.
Structure: Verb + number + 次
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 这个月我考了两次试。 | Zhè ge yuè wǒ kǎo le liǎng cì shì. | I took two exams this month. |
| 我去年去过一次日本。 | Wǒ qù nián qù guò yí cì rì běn. | I went to Japan once last year. |
| 他每周打三次电话。 | Tā měi zhōu dǎ sān cì diàn huà. | He makes three phone calls a week. |
Not: 教室里响起了一次掌声。 A burst of sound that lasts a moment and fades takes 阵: 教室里响起了一阵掌声。
Where this comes from
The comparison is part of Advanced Measure Words: Nominal and Verbal (HSK 6) in the grammar reference, which has the full explanation, more worked examples, and what to learn before and after it.
More pairs: 次 vs 遍 · 朝着 vs 向 · 从而 vs 进而 · 非…不可 vs 必须 · 格外 vs 非常 · 或多或少 vs 多多少少 · 即使…也… vs 虽然…但是… · 鉴于 vs 出于 · 时而…时而… vs 一时…一时… · all 81 pairs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 阵 and 次?
次 simply counts how many times something happened. 阵 counts a short spell that comes and goes, such as rain, wind, applause or pain: 下了一阵雨. You cannot use 阵 for something that happened at a fixed moment, such as an exam.
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