HSK 3

数量补语3(动词+动量补语):宾语和动量补语共现

shù liàng bǔ yǔ 3 ( dòng cí + dòng liàng bǔ yǔ ) : bīn yǔ hé dòng liàng bǔ yǔ gòng xiàn

Quantity complement 3 (Verb + verbal-measure complement): the co-occurrence of an object and a verbal-measure complement

Explanation

The verbal measure complement (a component after the verb indicating how many times the action is performed, like 次 cì - time, 遍 biàn - time through) is used to say how many times an action happens. This grammar point deals with word order when a sentence has BOTH an object (the target of the action) AND a verbal measure complement.

Structure

If the object is a noun: verb + 了/过 + number + verbal measure word (次/遍) + object (我去过两次上海). If the object is a pronoun (person): verb + pronoun + number + verbal measure word (我找了他两次).

When to use

Use it when you want to state both the target and the number of times. With a noun, the verbal measure complement usually comes BEFORE the object (三遍课文 - three times through the text). With a personal pronoun (他/你/我), the object must come BEFORE the complement (我找了他两次).

Common mistakes

Vietnamese learners often say 我找了两次他 (placing the pronoun 他 after the complement) - WRONG; the pronoun must come right after the verb, before the number of times. Conversely, with a noun, saying 我去过上海两次 sounds acceptable but the standard HSK form is 我去过两次上海.

Note

次 cì counts times in general; 遍 biàn emphasizes doing the action completely from start to finish (reading/watching through one full time).

Examples

我找了他两次。
zhǎoleliǎng

I looked for him twice.

我来过中国一次。
láiguòzhōngguó

I have been to China once.

我去过两次上海。
guòliǎngshànghǎi

I have been to Shanghai twice.

他读了三遍课文。
lesānbiànwén

He read the text three times through.

Practice

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The grammar point “数量补语3(动词+动量补语):宾语和动量补语共现” (Quantity complement 3 (Verb + verbal-measure complement): the co-occurrence of an object and a verbal-measure complement) is one of the key structures at HSK 3. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.

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