三番五次

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: sān fān wǔ cì
• English Translation: Time and again; over and over (repeatedly)
• Idiom Composition: 「三」（Three (used here to represent 'many')）＋「番」（Times or instances）＋「五」（Five (used alongside 'three' to emphasize a high frequency)）＋「次」（Times or occasions）
• Meaning: Describes an action or event that occurs repeatedly. It often carries a nuance of frustration, annoyance, or the feeling that someone is being overly persistent or ignoring advice.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「三番五次」 contains the following nuances:

• Numbers as Approximations: The numbers 三 (sān) and 五 (wǔ) are not literal counts of three or five. They are used as symbolic numbers to suggest 'many times' or 'a high frequency.'
• Emotional Nuance: This idiom usually conveys the speaker's subjective feeling of 'too much' or 'not again.' It is commonly applied to unwelcome actions, persistent nuisances, or advice that goes unheeded.

3. Usage

「三番五次」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Advice or Persuasion: Used to emphasize that someone has been warned or requested multiple times, yet the effort was ignored or ineffective.
  • Example:「尽管父母三番五次地劝阻，他还是坚持要辞职。」
    （Despite his parents' repeated warnings, he still insisted on resigning.）
• Annoying Repetition: Describes undesirable events like harassment, interruptions, or mistakes that happen so often the speaker becomes fed up.
  • Example:「那个推销员三番五次打电话来骚扰，真让人受不了。」
    （I can't stand that salesman calling me over and over again to harass me.）
• Obstacles and Delays: Expresses the frustration of a plan or negotiation being interrupted or stalled multiple times.
  • Example:「这次谈判三番五次陷入僵局，双方都很疲惫。」
    （The negotiations have hit a deadlock time and again, leaving both sides exhausted.）

Additional Examples:

1. 我三番五次邀请他来家里做客，但他总是推辞。
   （I invited him to my house many times, but he always declined.）
2. 这台电脑三番五次出故障，看来该换新的了。
   （This computer has broken down repeatedly; it seems it's time to buy a new one.）
3. 他不听医生的话，三番五次地喝酒，结果病情恶化了。
   （He didn't listen to the doctor and kept drinking despite the warnings, which caused his condition to worsen.）
4. 经过三番五次的修改，这个方案终于通过了。
   （After numerous revisions, this proposal was finally approved.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• In Chinese linguistics, numbers like 'three' and 'five' are often used as 'symbolic numbers' (虚数, xūshù) to represent 'many' or 'repeatedly.' This is seen in other idioms like 三令五申 (sān lìng wǔ shēn), which means to give orders repeatedly, or 三思而行 (sān sī ér xíng), meaning to think deeply before acting.
• While 三番五次 (sān fān wǔ cì) is used in both formal and informal contexts, it often carries a critical or dissatisfied tone. Because of this, it is rarely used to describe the positive actions of a superior. For example, one would rarely say a teacher taught a student 三番五次 (sān fān wǔ cì) unless complaining about the repetition; instead, a positive term like 'patiently' (耐心地, nài xīn de) would be used.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 屡次三番 (lǚ cì sān fān): Almost identical in meaning; refers to something happening many times over.
  • 接二连三 (jiē èr lián sān): One after another; focuses on the continuous succession of events.link
  • 翻来覆去 (fān lái fù qù): To toss and turn repeatedly, often due to inability to sleep or deep thought.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 绝无仅有 (jué wú jǐn yǒu): Unique and unmatched; the only one of its kind.
  • 百年不遇 (bǎi nián bú yù): Extremely rare; something that wouldn't be encountered even in a hundred years.
  • 一劳永逸 (yī láo yǒng yì): To achieve lasting results with a single effort.link
  • 寥寥无几 (liáo liáo wú jǐ): Very few in number.link

6. Summary

The idiom 三番五次 (sān fān wǔ cì) is used to describe something happening repeatedly. Rather than a literal count of three or five times, it emphasizes the high frequency of an occurrence. It is frequently used in negative contexts, such as when someone ignores warnings or when a problem keeps recurring, reflecting the speaker's impatience or exhaustion.