How many times: 次, 遍, 下
补语 / complements (动量补语)
Tone colorsā tone 1á tone 2ǎ tone 3à tone 4a neutral
To count how many times an action happens, put a verbal measure word after the verb:
次 = a time, an occurrence (去过两次, 一个星期三次).
遍 = once from start to finish (reading, listening, repeating in full): 请再说一遍 (please say it all again).
下 = a quick stroke, a brief action: 敲了三下门 (knock three times). V + 一下 softens a request (看一下).
With a noun object: V + count + O (看了两遍书). With a pronoun: V + O + count (找过他两次).
Examples
请再说一遍，好吗？
Qǐng zài shuō yí biàn, hǎo ma?Could you say that again, please?
这篇课文我听了三遍。
Zhè piān kèwén wǒ tīngle sān biàn.I listened to this text three times.
我一个星期上两次中文课。
Wǒ yí ge xīngqī shàng liǎng cì Zhōngwén kè.I have Chinese class twice a week.
我去过他家一次。
Wǒ qùguo tā jiā yí cì.I've been to his place once.
你看一下这个句子。
Nǐ kàn yíxià zhège jùzi.Take a look at this sentence.
Common mistakes
✗ 我三次去了北京 → ✓ 我去了三次北京 / 我去过北京三次.
✗ 我找过两次他 → ✓ 我找过他两次 (pronoun before the count).