often; every now and then
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
often; frequently; at irregular intervals
informalThis is a variant of the more common idiom 隔三差五 (gé sān chà wǔ), meaning 'every three days, missing five'—a figurative way to say 'frequently' or 'at short, irregular intervals.' Used primarily in spoken, informal contexts.
Tā他
gé格
sān三
chà岔
wǔ五
de地
jiù就
gěi给
wǒ我
dǎ打
diàn电
huà话
。
He calls me every now and then.
Gé格
sān三
chà岔
wǔ五
de地
tíng停
diàn电
，
shēng生
huó活
hěn很
bù不
fāng方
biàn便
。
The power goes out frequently, which is very inconvenient for daily life.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Lín邻
jū居
jiā家
de的
gǒu狗
gé格
sān三
chà岔
wǔ五
jiù就
jiào叫
，
ràng让
rén人
shuì睡
bu不
zháo着
。
The neighbor's dog barks often, making it hard to sleep.