Usage note
“次”用来表示时间的次数，比如一次、两次。
cì lái bǎo shí shí jiān de cì shù, rú kě yī cì、liǎng cì。
Use “次” to indicate the number of times something happens, such as once or twice.
Context note
“次”常用于描述重复发生的事情，比如做作业的次数或比赛的次数。
cì cháng yòng yú miáo shù dupé fā shēng de shì qing, rú kě zuò zuò wèi de cì shù huò bǐ sài de cì shù。
"次" is often used to describe repeated events, such as the number of times homework is done or a competition takes place.
5 examples
我每天做作业一次。
wǒ měi tiān zuò zuò yè yí cì。
I do my homework once a day.
他爬山两次。
tā pá shān liǎng cì。
He climbed the mountain twice.
比赛一共进行了三次。
bǐ sài yí gòng jìn xíng le sān cì。
The competition was held three times in total.
他每天读英语两次。
tā měi tiān dú yīng yǔ liǎng cì。
He reads English twice a day.
这个周末我见朋友一次。
zhè ge zhōu mò wǒ jiàn péng yǒu yí cì。
This weekend I meet my friend once.
5 mini stories
小明每天做作业两次，早上一次，晚上一次。
xiǎo míng měi tiān zuò zuò yè liǎng cì， zǎo shàng yí cì， wǎn shàng yí cì。
Xiaoming does his homework twice a day, once in the morning and once at night.
小红和妈妈去看电影两次，一次在周末，一次在学校。
xiǎo hóng hé mā ma qù kàn diàn yǐng liǎng cì， yí cì zài zhōu mò， yí cì zài xué xiào。
Xiaohong and her mom go to the movies twice, once on weekends and once at school.
爸爸每天跑步三次，早上一次，中午一次，晚上一次。
bà ba měi tiān pǎo bù sān cì， zǎo shàng yí cì， zhōng wǔ yí cì， wǎn shàng yí cì。
Dad runs three times a day, once in the morning, once at noon, and once at night.
妈妈每天做家务两次，一次在早上，一次在晚上。
mā ma měi tiān zuò jiā wù liǎng cì， yí cì zài zǎo shàng， yí cì zài wǎn shàng。
Mom does housework twice a day, once in the morning and once at night.
姐姐和弟弟一起去公园玩两次，一次在周末，一次在学校放假的时候。
jiě jie hé dì di yì qǐ qù gōng yuán wán liǎng cì， yí cì zài zhōu mò， yí cì zài xué xiào fàng jià de shí hòu。
The sister and brother go to the park to play twice, once on weekends and once when school is on break.
Mini dialogue
第一次
A
这是我第一次包饺子。
Zhè shì wǒ dì yī cì bāo jiǎozi.
This is my first time making dumplings.
B
你包得很好！
Nǐ bāo de hěn hǎo!
You make them very well!
再一次
A
这个故事太有趣了，我想再听一次。
Zhège gùshi tài yǒuqù le, wǒ xiǎng zài tīng yī cì.
This story is so interesting, I want to listen to it one more time.
B
好的，我再讲一次。
Hǎo de, wǒ zài jiǎng yī cì.
Okay, I'll tell it one more time.
Related words and contrasts
similar
遍
biàn
time (complete action)
次 is a general measure word for times; 遍 emphasizes doing the whole action once.
similar
回
huí
time (occurrence)
回 is similar to 次 but more casual, often used in spoken Chinese.