趟 · 遍 · 次
趟 a trip there and back · 遍 once through, start to finish · 次 a time (general)
Structure
动词 + 数词 + 趟／遍／次 + 宾语 · 动词 + 代词 + 数词 + 次
What it means
Measure words for actions: 趟 counts trips there and back, 遍 counts doing something all the way through, and 次 is the general “time”.
How it is built
Verb + number + 趟／遍／次 + object: 我给他打了两次电话 (I phoned him twice). With a pronoun, the count comes after it: 找过他两次. With a place both orders work: 去一趟邮局 or 去邮局一趟.
When to use it
Use 趟 with 去, 来, 跑: 我明天要去一趟邮局. Use 遍 for reading, writing, saying or listening start to finish: 这篇课文我读了三遍. 次 is the default when you just count times.
Watch out
With an ordinary object the count goes before it: ✗ 打了电话两次 ✓ 打了两次电话. With a pronoun it goes after: ✗ 找过两次他 ✓ 找过他两次.
Examples
我明天要去一趟邮局。
I need to make a trip to the post office tomorrow.
这篇课文我读了三遍。
I read this text through three times.
我给他打了两次电话。
I phoned him twice.
我去找过他两次，他都不在。
I went to see him twice, but he was out both times.
Learn this in HSK 4 · Lesson 9: 寄快递 (Sending a parcel)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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