一顿 · 一口 · 一眼
count an action: one meal, one bite or sip, one glance
Structure
动词 + 一顿／一口／一眼 (+ 宾语)
What it means
顿, 口 and 眼 count how much of an action you do, not things: 一顿 one meal (or one telling-off), 一口 one bite or sip, 一眼 one glance.
How it is built
Verb + 一顿／一口／一眼 + thing: 吃一口鱼 (have a bite of fish). A person goes before them: 看了我一眼 (glanced at me).
When to use it
一口 and 一眼 make an action short or casual: 你喝一口 (have a sip), 看了一眼 (took a look). 一顿 counts meals, 吃一顿好的 (have a really good meal), and also scoldings: 被经理说了一顿 (got a telling-off from the manager).
Watch out
The food goes after the count, not before it: ✗ 我吃了鱼一口。 ✓ 我吃了一口鱼。 But a person goes before it: ✓ 他看了我一眼。
Examples
我们去吃一顿好的吧！
Let’s go and have a really good meal!
你喝一口，看看甜不甜。
Have a sip and see if it’s sweet.
他又迟到了，被经理说了一顿。
He was late again and got a telling-off from the manager.
Learn this in HSK 3 · Lesson 11: 吃顿好的 (A dinner out)
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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