Meaning of 依次
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- in order
- in succession
How to use 依次
依次 is an adverb placed before the verb to show that people or things act one by one in a set order. It is common in instructions, announcements and written descriptions. Example: 请大家依次上车。(Qǐng dàjiā yīcì shàng chē.) Please get on the bus one by one.
依 (yī) means to follow or go by, and 次 (cì) means order or sequence, as in 下次 (xià cì) next time. Put together, 依次 is going by the order, one after another.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 依次 (yīcì) with 其次 (qícì). 其次 means secondly or next in importance, while 依次 describes actions done in sequence. Another slip is placing 依次 after the verb, as in 上车依次. It should come before the verb: 依次上车.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
依 yī · to depend on · 8 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
次 cì · next in sequence · 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Related words
Words that share a character with 依次.
| 下次 | xià cì | next time |
| 上次 | shàng cì | last time |
| 其次 | qícì | next; secondly |
| 依然 | yīrán | still; as before |
| 多次 | duō cì | many times; repeatedly |
| 依靠 | yīkào | to rely on; to depend on |
| 再次 | zàicì | once more; once again |
| 依旧 | yījiù | as before; still; to remain the same |
| 依据 | yījù | according to; basis |
| 依照 | yīzhào | according to; in light of |
| 层次 | céngcì | layer; level |
| 依法 | yīfǎ | legal (proceedings); according to law |
Questions about 依次
What does 依次 mean?
依次 (yīcì) means "in order; in succession" and is used as a adverb.
How do you write 依次?
依次 is made of 2 characters: 依 (8 strokes), 次 (6 strokes). That is 14 strokes in total.
Is 依次 an HSK word?
Yes. 依次 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 依次 and 一个一个地?
Both can mean one by one, but 依次 stresses following a set order and sounds more formal. 一个一个地 (yí gè yí gè de) is casual and only says that things happen individually.
Can 依次 be used with a list of names or items?
Yes. It often introduces items in order, for example 获奖者依次是小王、小李和小张 (huòjiǎng zhě yīcì shì Xiǎo Wáng, Xiǎo Lǐ hé Xiǎo Zhāng), meaning the winners are, in order, Xiao Wang, Xiao Li and Xiao Zhang.