一番

• Pinyin: yī fān
• Hanzi breakdown: 一 = one; 番 = 釆 (distinguish) + 田 (field), meaning turn/time/round

Meaning

A spell of; some; a bit of. A measure expression indicating a period or amount of effort.

Used to describe effort, experience, or discussion. Common patterns: 一番话 (some words/a speech), 一番努力 (some effort), 一番思考 (some thinking), 经历一番 (go through something). Often implies significant effort or meaningful experience.

Examples

1. 经过一番深思熟虑，他决定辞职。 After careful consideration, he decided to resign.
2. 老师的一番话让我受益匪浅。 The teacher's words benefited me greatly.
3. 他们一番讨论后终于达成了共识。 After some discussion, they finally reached a consensus.

Usage Guide

Context: effort, discussion, experience

Tone: narrative

Do Say

• 费了一番功夫。(It took some effort.)
• 这一番经历让我成长很多。(This experience made me grow a lot.)

Don't Say

• 一番的努力 — 应说'一番努力'，不需要'的'

Origin & History

Compound of 一 (one) + 番 (time, turn, foreign). 番 originally meant 'turn' or 'round,' so 一番 means 'one round/spell of.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal