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How to say “once” in Chinese with 曾经 (céngjīng)

Subj. + 曾经 (céngjīng) + Verb + 过 (guo)

Expressing "once" with "曾经 (zēng jīng) (céngjīng)"

HSK 5Adverbs

Rule structure

曾经 (zēng jīng) (céngjīng) is an adverb meaning "once, ever" (past experience). It emphasizes that an action happened at some indefinite point in the past and often pairs with 过 (guo).

Examples

我曾经在北京住过。

Wǒ céngjīng zài Běijīng zhù guo.

I once lived in Beijing.

Practice

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Frequently asked questions

How do you express “Expressing "once" with "曾经 (céngjīng)"” in Chinese?

Use the structure: Subj. + 曾经 (céngjīng) + Verb + 过 (guo). For example: 我曾经在北京住过。 — “I once lived in Beijing.”.

What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?

我曾经在北京住过。 — “I once lived in Beijing.”.

Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?

This grammar rule is part of HSK 5.

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