Meaning of 频繁
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- frequently
- often
How to use 频繁
频繁 describes actions or events that happen very often, usually in a formal or written style. It can be a predicate or come before a verb with 地. Example: 他最近频繁出差。(Tā zuìjìn pínfán chūchāi.) He has been traveling for work frequently lately.
频 (pín) means repeated, as in 频率 (pínlǜ) frequency, and 繁 (fán) means numerous or busy, as in 繁忙 (fánmáng). Put together, something that happens repeatedly and in great numbers is 频繁.
Common mistake: Learners use 频繁 for everyday habits where 经常 (jīngcháng) sounds more natural. 我频繁喝咖啡 sounds stiff, so say 我经常喝咖啡 instead. Also keep the second tone on both syllables: pín, fán, not fàn.
频繁 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.
频 pín · frequency · 13 strokes
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繁 fán · complex · 17 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 频繁.
| 视频 | shìpín | video |
| 频道 | píndào | frequency; (television) channel |
| 繁荣 | fánróng | prosperous; booming |
| 繁殖 | fánzhí | to breed; to reproduce |
| 频率 | pínlǜ | frequency |
| 繁忙 | fánmáng | busy; bustling |
| 繁华 | fánhuá | flourishing; bustling |
| 繁重 | fánzhòng | heavy; burdensome |
| 频频 | pínpín | repeatedly; again and again |
| 繁体字 | fántǐzì | traditional Chinese character |
| 繁衍 | fányǎn | to multiply; to reproduce |
| 音频 | yīnpín | audio; sound |
Questions about 频繁
What does 频繁 mean?
频繁 (pínfán) means "frequently; often" and is used as a adjective.
How do you write 频繁?
频繁 is made of 2 characters: 频 (13 strokes), 繁 (17 strokes). That is 30 strokes in total.
Is 频繁 an HSK word?
Yes. 频繁 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 频繁 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 频繁 is written 頻繁.
What is the difference between 频繁 and 经常?
经常 is an everyday adverb for things that happen often. 频繁 is an adjective that stresses a high, sometimes excessive frequency, and it is more formal. You can say 交流很频繁 (the exchanges are very frequent), but 交流很经常 is wrong.
Does 频繁 have a negative tone?
Often, yes. It tends to describe something happening more than is normal or desirable, such as 频繁加班 (working overtime too often). It can also be neutral in news and reports, such as 两国往来频繁 (the two countries have frequent contact).