再
zài
In Chinese, the English phrase 'again' can be translated in several ways depending on the context. The default form is 再 (zài). Wiktionary also lists 又 (yòu) and 再……一遍 (zai4… yíbiàn).
Meaning: another time (adv)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 再 | zài |
| 又 | yòu |
| 再……一遍 | zai4… yíbiàn |
| 重新 | chóngxīn |
The term 重新 means 'again' or 'anew'.
Which one should you use?
The choice between forms depends on whether the action is in the future or has already happened. Use 再 for an action that has not happened yet but is intended to happen again in the future. Use 又 for an action that has already happened again or is a recurring event that has already occurred.
How does it change in a sentence?
A common pattern to express doing something one more time is 再……一遍, where 一遍 means 'one time' or 'once'.
How do you pronounce it?
zài
Did you know?
- The character 又 which means 'again' for completed actions was originally a pictograph of a right hand.
- While 再 and 又 both mean 'again', using 又 can sometimes imply that the speaker is annoyed or surprised that something happened again.
- You can identify the 'again' character hidden in many unrelated words like 'snow' or 'matter' through the radical ⺕, which is a modified form of 又.
Examples in context
- 请再说一遍!Please say that again!Tatoeba #1786018 by sadhen, translation #925054 by zvaigzne
- 重新告訴我。Tell me again.Tatoeba #6044374 by verdastelo9604, translation #2250076 by CK
- 我又熬夜了。I stayed up all night again.Tatoeba #6069406 by xjjAstrus, translation #6106238 by Sethlang
- 我要再次强调这个重要事项。I want to emphasize this important matter again.
- 我们需要重新规划我们的战略。We need to re-plan our strategy.
- 我又忘了带钱包。I forgot my wallet again.
- 340 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A man and a woman are finishing a coffee date.
- 俊杰 Junjie今天很开心。Jīntiān hěn kāixīn.I had a great time today.
- 佳怡 Jiayi我也很开心，我们下次再见吧。Wǒ yě hěn kāixīn, wǒmen xiàcì zài jiàn ba.I'm happy too, let's meet again next time.
- 俊杰 Junjie好的，那我先回家了。Hǎo de, nà wǒ xiān huí jiā le.Okay, I'm heading home now.
- 佳怡 Jiayi慢走，到家了告诉我。Màn zǒu, dào jiā le gàosù wǒ.Take care, let me know when you get home.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “again” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 再, 又, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
