Meaning of 其次
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- next
- secondly
How to use 其次
其次 (qícì) is used to list points in order, often after 首先 (shǒuxiān, first). It can also mean 'of secondary importance'. Example: 首先要努力，其次要有方法。(Shǒuxiān yào nǔlì, qícì yào yǒu fāngfǎ.) First you must work hard, and second you need a good method.
其 (qí) means 'its' or 'that', and 次 (cì) means 'order' or 'next in line', as in 下次 (xià cì). Put them together and 其次 (qícì) is 'the one next in order', so 'secondly'.
Common mistake: Learners often use 其次 to mean 'next time', but that is 下次 (xià cì). 其次 only ranks points or importance, never a future occasion.
其次 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
其 qí · his · 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 其次.
Questions about 其次
What does 其次 mean?
其次 (qícì) means "next; secondly" and is used as a pronoun.
How do you write 其次?
其次 is made of 2 characters: 其 (8 strokes), 次 (6 strokes). That is 14 strokes in total.
Is 其次 an HSK word?
Yes. 其次 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
Can 其次 mean 'less important'?
Yes. In a sentence like 钱是其次的 (qián shì qícì de), it means money is secondary. In this use it comes after 是 and is followed by 的.
What usually comes after 其次 in a list?
A common pattern is 首先 (shǒuxiān), then 其次 (qícì), then 最后 (zuìhòu, finally). You can also add 再次 (zàicì) as a third point before 最后.