三番五次

• Pinyin: sān fān wǔ cì
• Hanzi breakdown: 三 = three (rhetorical); 番 = 釆 (distinguish) + 田 (field) = a round/turn; 五 = five (rhetorical); 次 = 冫(ice/sequence) + 欠 (lacking) = in sequence, a time/instance

Meaning

Repeatedly; time and again; over and over. Used to emphasise that an action has occurred many times, often implying impatience or exasperation.

A set four-character idiom (成语). The numbers 三 and 五 are used rhetorically rather than literally. Typically used to describe repeated requests, warnings, reminders, or attempts that have not been heeded or have produced no result. Carries a tone of mild frustration. Common in everyday speech and writing.

Examples

1. 上司三番五次地提醒他按时提交报告，他却总是以各种理由拖延，最终引发了严重的工作纠纷。 The boss reminded him again and again to submit the report on time, but he kept stalling with all kinds of excuses, eventually triggering a serious workplace dispute.
2. 我已经三番五次地向物业反映楼道灯损坏的问题，但至今仍未得到有效的处理和回复。 I’ve reported the broken hallway lights to property management over and over, but to this day there’s still been no effective fix or response.
3. 孩子三番五次地向父母要求购买那款游戏机，父母最终决定在他取得优异成绩后给予奖励。 The child repeatedly asked his parents to buy that game console, and in the end they decided to reward him after he achieved excellent grades.

Usage Guide

Context: interpersonal, complaints, emphasis, daily life

Tone: frustrated

Do Say

• 她三番五次地就同一问题向主管提出申诉，却始终未能得到实质性的答复，最终决定通过法律途径维护自身权益。(She repeatedly raised the same issue in appeals to her supervisor but never received a substantive response, and ultimately decided to pursue her rights through legal channels.)
• 老师三番五次地强调考试诚信的重要性，希望同学们能够真正将这一原则内化为自身的行为准则。(The teacher emphasised the importance of academic integrity time and again, hoping students would genuinely internalise this principle as a personal code of conduct.)

Don't Say

• 他三番五次地吃了三碗饭 — 三番五次 is used for repeated actions over time, not to count discrete quantities; use 吃了好几碗 for eating multiple servings

Origin & History

A classical Chinese idiom using 三 (three) and 五 (five) as rhetorical numbers to express plurality and repetition — 'three rounds, five times' — implying many repeated occurrences. Similar to the English 'time and again.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal