Quantitative complement

Expressions that can serve as a quantitative complement usually consist of a numeral and
a verbal measure word.

More general frequency expressions include:

Also check → Verbal measure words

Structure

Quantitative complements usually appear after the verb denoting the action to which they refer.

With an aspectual particle

If the verb is used with the aspectual particles le 了 or guo 过/過 , the quantitative complement always comes after these particles.

With an object

The position of an object in sentences with quantitative complements depends on the type of the object.

A noun object (represented by a common noun or an abstract noun) is usually placed after the complement.

A pronoun object is always placed before the complement.

The object denoting a specific person or place can be placed either before or after the complement.

The object can also be placed at the beginning of the sentence.

The choice of the appropriate sentence pattern depends on the context. Objects that have already been mentioned in the utterance tend to appear before the subject. In contrast, objects mentioned for the first time more often come after the complement.

With adverbs

In sentences with quantitative complements adverbs (including adverbs of scope which refer to the number of repetitions of the action) are usually placed before the verb.                                       

Questions

Questions about the number of the repetitions of an action are formed by replacing the numeral in the frequency phrase with the appropriate interrogative pronoun: jǐ 几/幾 ‘how many’ or duōshao 多少 ‘how many’. For example:

Negation

In the negative sentences with quantitative complements the negation adverb méi 没/沒 is placed before the verb.  

Such sentences are usually used to correct wrong or inaccurate information about the number of repetitions of the activity.

Functions

Quantitative complements are used to express the number of times the action takes place.