Frequency & Manner Adverbs: 偶尔、再次、偷偷
偶尔 (occasionally), 再次 (once again) and 偷偷 (secretly) are adverbs that go before the verb to say how often or in what manner something happens. 再次 is more formal than 又 or 再, and 偷偷 says nobody was meant to notice.
In English
These three adverbs sit before the verb. 偶尔 means "occasionally" and describes a low frequency, often with 才 or 只是. 再次 is a more formal way to say "once again", and it fits writing and speeches better than the spoken 又 or 再.
偷偷 tells you how the action is done: secretly, without anyone noticing. It can take 地 after it. Learn them as a trio of "how often" and "in what way" words that all go before the main verb.
| 副词 | 意思 | 用法要点 |
|------|------|----------|
| 偶尔 ǒu ěr | occasionally | 频率很低，常与'才/只是'搭配，强调'不常发生' |
| 再次 zài cì | once again | 书面语，指未来/正式场合的'再一次'；比口语的'又/再'更正式 |
| 偷偷 tōu tōu | secretly | 描述动作方式，强调'不让别人发现'，放在动词前 |
✅ 他偶尔才去一次健身房。（低频率）
✅ 公司再次调整了政策。（正式场合的重复）
✅ 他偷偷把礼物放在桌上。（隐蔽的方式）
注意：再次多用于书面/正式语境；又/再更口语，且又常指已发生的重复。
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 他偶尔会去图书馆借几本书看。 | Tā ǒu ěr huì qù tú shū guǎn jiè jǐ běn shū kàn. | He occasionally goes to the library to borrow a few books. | 偶尔 marks a low, irregular frequency — this doesn't happen often. |
| 经过反复检查，医生再次确认了诊断结果。 | Jīng guò fǎn fù jiǎn chá, yī shēng zài cì què rèn le zhěn duàn jié guǒ. | After repeated checks, the doctor once again confirmed the diagnosis. | 再次 (formal 'once again') fits a professional, written-register context of repeating a careful procedure. |
| 孩子偷偷把糖藏在抽屉里，怕被妈妈发现。 | Hái zi tōu tōu bǎ táng cáng zài chōu ti lǐ, pà bèi māma fā xiàn. | The child secretly hid the candy in the drawer, afraid of being discovered by mom. | 偷偷 sits before the verb (把糖藏) to describe the sneaky manner of the action. |
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.
偶尔 (ǒu ěr)
Says an action happens only rarely.
Structure: subject + 偶尔 + verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 他平时不喝酒，偶尔和朋友聚会才喝一点。 | Tā píng shí bù hē jiǔ, ǒu ěr hé péng yǒu jù huì cái hē yì diǎn. | He does not usually drink, only a little now and then at a get-together with friends. |
| 我偶尔会在周末去爬山。 | Wǒ ǒu ěr huì zài zhōu mò qù pá shān. | I occasionally go hiking on the weekend. |
| 她偶尔给我发一条短信，问我过得好不好。 | Tā ǒu ěr gěi wǒ fā yì tiáo duǎn xìn, wèn wǒ guò de hǎo bù hǎo. | She sometimes sends me a text to ask how I am doing. |
Not: 我偶尔每天锻炼。 偶尔 means rarely, so it cannot go with 每天. Use 常常 or 每天 on their own.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 4, adverbs (频率副词).
偶尔 is also explained in: Attitude adverbs: 偏偏/偶尔/竟然/随便 (HSK 4).
再次 (zài cì)
Means "once again" and is used in writing and formal speech.
Structure: subject + 再次 + verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 谢谢大家的支持，我再次向你们表示感谢。 | Xiè xiè dà jiā de zhī chí, wǒ zài cì xiàng nǐ men biǎo shì gǎn xiè. | Thank you for your support. Once again, I express my thanks to you all. |
| 他再次打开箱子，还是没有找到钥匙。 | Tā zài cì dǎ kāi xiāng zi, hái shì méi yǒu zhǎo dào yào shi. | He opened the box again and still did not find the key. |
| 这家公司明年将再次提高价格。 | Zhè jiā gōng sī míng nián jiāng zài cì tí gāo jià gé. | The company will raise its prices again next year. |
Not: 再次我去了北京。 再次 comes after the subject and before the verb: 我再次去了北京。
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 4, adverbs (频率副词).
偷偷 (tōu tōu)
Describes how an action is done: quietly, so that others do not notice.
Structure: subject + 偷偷(地) + verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 他偷偷看了一眼手机，怕被老师发现。 | Tā tōu tōu kàn le yì yǎn shǒu jī, pà bèi lǎo shī fā xiàn. | He sneaked a look at his phone, afraid the teacher would notice. |
| 妹妹偷偷地把我的巧克力吃完了。 | Mèi mèi tōu tōu de bǎ wǒ de qiǎo kè lì chī wán le. | My little sister secretly ate up my chocolate. |
| 她偷偷哭了，没有让家人知道。 | Tā tōu tōu kū le, méi yǒu ràng jiā rén zhī dào. | She cried in secret and did not let her family know. |
Not: 他走偷偷了。 偷偷 describes the manner and goes before the verb: 他偷偷走了。
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 6, adverbs (方式副词).
Compared side by side: 再次 vs 又.
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 Frequency & Manner Adverbs
What does 频率副词 (Frequency & Manner Adverbs) mean in Chinese?
偶尔 (occasionally), 再次 (once again) and 偷偷 (secretly) are adverbs that go before the verb to say how often or in what manner something happens. 再次 is more formal than 又 or 再, and 偷偷 says nobody was meant to notice. It is an HSK 5 grammar point.
How do you use 频率副词 (Frequency & Manner Adverbs) in a sentence?
他偶尔会去图书馆借几本书看。 — Tā ǒu ěr huì qù tú shū guǎn jiè jǐ běn shū kàn. — He occasionally goes to the library to borrow a few books. 偶尔 marks a low, irregular frequency — this doesn't happen often.
What do you need to know before 频率副词 (Frequency & Manner Adverbs)?
Attitude adverbs (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.
What is the difference between 再次 and 又 or 再?
再次 is formal and works in speech or writing for any repeated action. 又 usually looks back at something that has already repeated: 他又迟到了。 再 usually looks ahead: 请再说一遍。
Can I say 偶尔 and 经常 in the same sentence?
Not about the same action. 偶尔 means rarely, 经常 means often. You can contrast them: 我经常骑车，偶尔坐地铁。
Frequency & Manner Adverbs 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.
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