How to say “once” in Chinese
once, as soon as
“Once” in Chinese is 一旦, yí dàn: the meaning, a recording of how it sounds, the characters stroke by stroke and examples.
How to pronounce it
一旦 is read yí dàn: 2 syllables. The tone is part of the word: with another melody you get another word, or just a jumble of sounds.
How to write it
Before a measure word its tone changes: yí before a fourth tone, yì before the others. In numbers and dates it stays yī.
The sun 日 above the horizon line. 元旦 — the “first dawn” of the year.
Strokes go in order: top to bottom and left to right, horizontal before vertical. Tap a character to open its page, with the strokes shown large and the words it appears in. To train your hand, print a handwriting sheet for “一旦”.
Examples
Sentences from the course lessons with 一旦. Tap the sound icon to listen.
- 一旦决定了，就要坚持下去。yídànjuédìngle,jiùyàojiānchíxiàquOnce you've decided, see it through.
- 手机一旦没电就很麻烦shǒujīyídànméidiàn,jiùhěnmáfanOnce your phone dies, the trouble starts.
- 一旦过敏就要马上去医院yídànguòmǐn,jiùyàomǎshàngqùyīyuànIf an allergy flares up, go straight to the hospital.
More words from the lesson “What if”
Look up another word in the Chinese–English dictionary: in English, in pinyin or in characters.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “once” in Chinese?
“Once” in Chinese is 一旦, pinyin yídàn.
What does 一旦 mean?
一旦 (yídàn) means “once, as soon as”.
How do you write 一旦?
一旦 is 2 characters: 一 (yī) — one; 旦 (dàn) — dawn. The stroke order of each one is shown step by step on this page.
How do you pronounce 一旦?
一旦 is read yídàn. Tones: yí — second tone, dàn — fourth tone. The page has a native speaker recording.
“once” in the lesson “What if”
This word is from the topic “Linking ideas” of HSK 5. In the lesson you hear it in a dialogue, build a sentence with it and say it out loud. Start for free, no sign-up needed.
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