一连: An Unbroken Series in Chinese
一连
一连 presents several occurrences or a stretch of time as one uninterrupted series. It normally precedes a quantity-duration phrase or the repeated action, as in 一连三天 or 一连问了几个问题. The quantified span must be more than one, and 一连 cannot be moved after the completed event it frames.
Published July 23, 2026
Reviewed July 23, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
Subject + 一连 + Quantity / Duration + Verb Phrase
Read the structure
一连 presents several occurrences or a stretch of time as one uninterrupted series. It normally precedes a quantity-duration phrase or the repeated action, as in 一连三天 or 一连问了几个问题. The quantified span must be more than one, and 一连 cannot be moved after the completed event it frames. Keep the model Subject + 一连 + Quantity / Duration + Verb Phrase visible while you compare each sentence.
这场大雨一连下了十多天。
The heavy rain continued for more than ten straight days.
Choose the right context
Frame several consecutive days or nights as uninterrupted. Present multiple actions performed in succession. Emphasize continuity across a counted series.
他一连三天三夜没睡好。
He did not sleep well for three consecutive days and nights.
Respect the boundary
Do not use 一连 with a single occurrence. Do not place it after the completed verb phrase. Do not insert 了 between 一连 and its following quantity phrase.
大雨下了十多天一连。
(The rain fell for ten days consecutively.)
Repair the pattern
一连 follows the quantified event: 一连 frames the following duration and event and must precede the verb phrase. 一连 is used for one isolated occurrence: 一连 requires a series or extended span; a single question does not form a consecutive sequence.
大雨一连下了十多天。
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.
这场大雨一连下了十多天。
The heavy rain continued for more than ten straight days.
这
Subject
This part occupies the Subject position in the model pattern.
场
一连
This part occupies the 一连 position in the model pattern.
大雨
Quantity / Duration
This part occupies the Quantity / Duration position in the model pattern.
一连
Verb Phrase
This part occupies the Verb Phrase position in the model pattern.
下了
Subject
This part occupies the Subject position in the model pattern.
十多天
一连
This part occupies the 一连 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.
这场大雨一连下了十多天。
The heavy rain continued for more than ten straight days.
他一连三天三夜没睡好。
He did not sleep well for three consecutive days and nights.
记者一连问了五个问题。
The reporter asked five questions in succession.
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Frame several consecutive days or nights as uninterrupted.
- Present multiple actions performed in succession.
- Emphasize continuity across a counted series.
Do not use it when
- Do not use 一连 with a single occurrence.
- Do not place it after the completed verb phrase.
- Do not insert 了 between 一连 and its following quantity phrase.
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.
大雨下了十多天一连。
大雨一连下了十多天。
一连 follows the quantified event
一连 frames the following duration and event and must precede the verb phrase.
记者一连问了一个问题。
记者问了一个问题。
一连 is used for one isolated occurrence
一连 requires a series or extended span; a single question does not form a consecutive sequence.
大雨下了十多天一连。
一连 frames the following duration and event and must precede the verb phrase.
记者一连问了一个问题。
一连 requires a series or extended span; a single question does not form a consecutive sequence.
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 一连.
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 一连. 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
一连: An Unbroken Series Questions
Can 一连 modify both time and counted actions?
Yes. It can frame a duration such as 三天 or repeated events such as 五个问题.
Does 一连 mean the events had no interruption?
It presents them as one continuous or closely consecutive series.
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, combined Levels 7–9 item 【七—九027】, 方式副词：一连 (printed p. 239; PDF page 245)
Supports placement in the official combined Levels 7-9 band; the exact site level remains an internal difficulty label; it does not independently establish the usage explanation.
Official sourceA Reference Grammar of Chinese
Huang, Shi and Li · Cambridge University Press · 2022
Locator: Chapter 6, §§6.4 and 6.4.3, time and duration adverbials, pages 144–146; full text body opened
Distinguishes preverbal duration settings from postverbal duration complements and supports a quantified span framing the following event.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
Compare
曾经曾经: At Some Time in the Past
Compare this lesson with 曾经 locating an experience in a past period; both belong to past experience, temporal persistence, and reference distance, but they organize a different sentence role or discourse job.
Compare
从来从来: Never Up to the Reference Time
Compare this lesson with 从来 establishing a time span used with habitual negation; both belong to past experience, temporal persistence, and reference distance, but they organize a different sentence role or discourse job.
Compare
离……离: Expressing Distance From a Reference Point
Compare this lesson with 离 measuring distance from a spatial or temporal reference point; both belong to past experience, temporal persistence, and reference distance, but they organize a different sentence role or discourse job.
Continue learning
时间Time Word Placement
Continue with the reviewed follow-up lesson to apply this pattern inside a broader, explicitly connected grammar construction.
RECOMMENDED NEXT
Continue learning
Continue with the reviewed follow-up lesson to apply this pattern inside a broader, explicitly connected grammar construction.