Counting Events with Verbal Measure Words in Chinese
遍/次/场/回/下
Verbal measure words count occurrences or bounded performances. 次 counts occasions generally, 遍 counts a complete pass from beginning to end, 回 counts an occurrence in conversational style, and 下 often marks a brief action. 场 classifies bounded events such as films, matches, rain, or performances.
Published July 23, 2026
Reviewed July 23, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
Verb + Number + 次/遍/回/下; Number + 场 + Event Noun
Read the structure
Verbal measure words count occurrences or bounded performances. 次 counts occasions generally, 遍 counts a complete pass from beginning to end, 回 counts an occurrence in conversational style, and 下 often marks a brief action. 场 classifies bounded events such as films, matches, rain, or performances. Keep the model Verb + Number + 次/遍/回/下; Number + 场 + Event Noun visible while you compare each sentence.
我去过北京两次。
I have been to Beijing twice.
Choose the right context
Use 次 after a verb to count how many occasions it occurred. Use 遍 when the action is completed from beginning to end. Use 下 for a short attempt or brief performance of an action.
请再读一遍。
Please read it through once more.
Respect the boundary
Do not place the event count before the verb in the basic postverbal pattern. Do not use 遍 when no complete pass through the material is intended. Do not attach a noun classifier such as 本 directly to an action count.
我去两次过北京。
(I have been to Beijing twice.)
Repair the pattern
Event count splits verb from aspect: Experiential 过 must directly follow 去; the event count cannot be inserted between the verb and its aspect marker. Number splits from verbal classifier: 一遍 is an intact number-classifier phrase after 看; its number and classifier cannot surround the object.
我去过北京两次。
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
我去过北京两次。
I have been to Beijing twice.
我去
Verb
This part occupies the Verb position in the model pattern.
过
Number
This part occupies the Number position in the model pattern.
北京
次/遍/回/下; Number
This part occupies the 次/遍/回/下; Number position in the model pattern.
两次
场
This part occupies the 场 position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
我去过北京两次。
I have been to Beijing twice.
请再读一遍。
Please read it through once more.
你看一下这个字。
Take a quick look at this character.
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Use 次 after a verb to count how many occasions it occurred.
- Use 遍 when the action is completed from beginning to end.
- Use 下 for a short attempt or brief performance of an action.
Do not use it when
- Do not place the event count before the verb in the basic postverbal pattern.
- Do not use 遍 when no complete pass through the material is intended.
- Do not attach a noun classifier such as 本 directly to an action count.
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
我去两次过北京。
我去过北京两次。
Event count splits verb from aspect
Experiential 过 must directly follow 去; the event count cannot be inserted between the verb and its aspect marker.
你看一这个字遍。
你看一遍这个字。
Number splits from verbal classifier
一遍 is an intact number-classifier phrase after 看; its number and classifier cannot surround the object.
我去两次过北京。
Experiential 过 must directly follow 去; the event count cannot be inserted between the verb and its aspect marker.
你看一这个字遍。
一遍 is an intact number-classifier phrase after 看; its number and classifier cannot surround the object.
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with 遍/次/场/回/下.
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 遍/次/场/回/下. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
Counting Events with Verbal Measure Words Questions
How do 次 and 遍 differ?
次 counts occasions; 遍 additionally says the action ran through its full course.
Does 一下 always literally mean once?
No. It often softens an action as brief or easy.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: GF0025-2021 Appendix A, Level 2 item 【二11】 (PDF p. 186)
Provides official Level 2 directory placement and examples only; it does not establish the learner-facing usage explanation.
Official sourceModern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide, 3rd ed.
Ross, Ma, Chen, He and Yeh · Routledge · 2024
Locator: Chapter 8, Classifiers; Chapter 39, Talking About Duration and Frequency
Distinguishes general event counts from complete-pass and brief-action classifiers and places them after the verb phrase.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
Easy to confuse
数量短语Basic Quantity Phrases
Distinguish between 遍次场回下's measurement of action 次's number process and ordinary nominative phrase's measurement of entities.
Easy to confuse
顿/口/眼Event and Portion Classifiers 顿, 口, and 眼
Compare general event classifiers 次、遍、回 with restricted collocations using 顿、口, or 眼.
Compare
分钟/年/天/周Duration Phrases
Distinguish the 次 number of occurrences of the 遍次场回下 calculation action and the duration of the 分钟年天周 calculation to avoid 回 answering incorrectly how many 次 or how long it takes.
RECOMMENDED NEXT
Easy to confuse
Distinguish between 遍次场回下's measurement of action 次's number process and ordinary nominative phrase's measurement of entities.