LEARN + CHINESE / 300 of 300 HSK 7–9
Three Days in a Row 一连
If something happens once, then again, then again without a break, 一连 lets you package that run into one phrase. Put it before the number and time or event being counted: 一连三天 (“three days in a row”), 一连开了四个会 (“held four meetings back to back”).
A Run of Consecutive Days
这家店一连三天没开门，大家都以为它关了。
Zhè jiā diàn yìlián sān tiān méi kāimén, dàjiā dōu yǐwéi tā guān le.
This shop stayed closed for three days in a row, so everyone thought it had shut down.
一连 often appears with a duration or count. It emphasizes an uninterrupted stretch, not simply that the events happened several times.
A Run of Events
她一连开了四个会，连午饭都没时间吃。
Tā yìlián kāi le sì ge huì, lián wǔfàn dōu méi shíjiān chī.
She had four meetings back to back and didn’t even have time for lunch.
球队一连赢了五场比赛，终于拿到冠军。
Qiúduì yìlián yíng le wǔ chǎng bǐsài, zhōngyú ná dào guànjūn.
The team won five matches in a row and finally took the championship.
Hint · 힌트
一连 makes the consecutive run prominent. 连续 is broader and can describe an uninterrupted process or period; 一连 is especially natural with counts such as 一连三天、一连问了五个问题.
In Real Life
You’ll often see 一连 with a number in news reports: 一连几天, 一连多次. The number helps the reader picture just how long or how often the streak lasted.
Vocabulary
| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
yīlián | in a row; consecutively |
liánxù | continuous; consecutive |
jiēlián | one after another |
sān | three |
tiān | day |
zhōu | week |
cì | time; occurrence |
chǎng | measure word for matches or events |
huí | time; occasion |
chūxiàn | to appear |
fāshēng | to happen |
jiābān | to work overtime |
huìyì | meeting |
wèntí | question; problem |
dìngdān | order (goods) |
bǐsài | competition; match |
liànxí | to practise |
zhōngyú | finally; at last |
chídào | to arrive late |
liánmáng | promptly; at once |
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