遍

• Pinyin: biàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 遍 (biàn) — throughout, all over; contains 辶 (walk/movement) and 扁 (flat/spread out), suggesting full coverage

Meaning

Measure word for times/occurrences of an action done from start to finish. Distinct from 次, which simply counts occurrences.

Used to count how many times an action is performed in its entirety, from beginning to end. Emphasizes completeness of each occurrence.

Examples

1. 这首歌我听了三遍，还是很好听。 I listened to this song three times through and it still sounds great.
2. 老师把这个语法规则解释了两遍。 The teacher explained this grammar rule twice.
3. 这本书值得读好几遍。 This book is worth reading several times over.

Usage Guide

Context: studying, repetition, reading, listening

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我看了两遍这部电影。(I watched this film twice from start to finish.)
• 请再说一遍。(Please say it again from the beginning.)

Don't Say

• Avoid using 遍 interchangeably with 次 — 次 counts occurrences without implying completeness, while 遍 emphasizes the action was done from start to finish.

Origin & History

Originally meant 'throughout' or 'everywhere' in Classical Chinese, conveying the sense of covering the full extent of something. Evolved into a measure word for complete cycles of an action.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal