pínlǜ: 频率 - Frequency

• Keywords: 频率 pínlǜ, frequency in Chinese, how to say frequency in Chinese, Chinese word for frequency, pínlǜ meaning, what does 频率 mean, Chinese HSK frequency, rate in Chinese, radio frequency Chinese, scientific Chinese terms
• Summary: Learn the Chinese word for frequency, 频率 (pínlǜ). This essential HSK 5 term is used in both scientific contexts, like radio waves and heart rates, and everyday situations to describe how often something happens. This guide will break down the characters, provide cultural insights, and give you practical example sentences to master its usage, from technical discussions to talking about your workout schedule.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): pínlǜ
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: The rate at which something occurs or is repeated over a given period of time or in a given sample; frequency.
• In a Nutshell: 频率 is the direct equivalent of the English word “frequency.” Think of it as a measurement of “how often.” It can be used in a highly technical sense, like the frequency of a Wi-Fi signal, or in a more general sense, like the frequency of buses arriving at a bus stop. It’s a precise, neutral term used to describe repetition and rate.

• 频 (pín): This character means “frequently,” “repeatedly,” or “often.” It's composed of 步 (bù - step) and 页 (yè - head), which can be loosely interpreted as something that happens step after step, one after another, suggesting repetition.
• 率 (lǜ): This character means “rate,” “ratio,” or “proportion.” It has a clear mathematical and statistical feel to it.

When combined, 频率 (pínlǜ) literally translates to “repetition rate,” which perfectly captures the modern meaning of “frequency.”

Unlike terms deeply rooted in ancient philosophy like `关系 (guānxi)` or `面子 (miànzi)`, 频率 (pínlǜ) is a modern, scientific, and globalized word. Its significance in Chinese culture is tied to China's rapid modernization, technological advancement, and integration into the global scientific community. The widespread use of 频率 reflects the country's focus on fields like telecommunications (5G, Wi-Fi), data science, physics, and engineering. It's a term of precision and objectivity. A useful contrast is with the concept of `缘分 (yuánfèn)`, or “destiny/fateful coincidence.” While you might talk about the 频率 (pínlǜ) of your train being late in a very logical, data-driven way, you would use 缘分 (yuánfèn) to describe the magical, unquantifiable “frequency” of bumping into a special person. 频率 belongs to the world of science and schedules; 缘分 belongs to the world of human connection and fate. Thus, 频率 represents the modern, rational aspect of contemporary Chinese society.

频率 is a versatile noun used across various domains. Its connotation is generally neutral and its formality depends on the context.

This is the most common and direct usage. It's standard in medicine, physics, engineering, and data analysis.

• Heart Rate: 心跳频率 (xīntiào pínlǜ)
• Radio Frequency: 无线电频率 (wúxiàndiàn pínlǜ)
• Sound Frequency: 音频 (yīnpín - short for 声音频率 shēngyīn pínlǜ)

In daily conversation, 频率 can be used to describe how often an action is performed. While correct, it can sometimes sound slightly more formal or analytical than simply using an adverb like `常常 (chángcháng)`.

• “The frequency of my workouts is very high.” (我健身的频率很高。)
• “He makes mistakes with a high frequency.” (他犯错的频率很高。)

In business reports or data analysis, 频率 is used to discuss customer behavior, market trends, or system errors.

• “We need to analyze the purchase frequency of our users.” (我们需要分析用户购买的频率。)

• Example 1:
• 这个电台的频率是多少？
• Pinyin: Zhège diàntái de pínlǜ shì duōshǎo?
• English: What is the frequency of this radio station?
• Analysis: A very common and practical question. Here, 频率 refers to the specific number on the radio dial (e.g., 98.7 MHz).
• Example 2:
• 医生检查了我的心跳频率。
• Pinyin: Yīshēng jiǎnchá le wǒ de xīntiào pínlǜ.
• English: The doctor checked my heart rate (frequency).
• Analysis: A standard medical use case. 心跳 (xīntiào) means “heartbeat.”
• Example 3:
• 最近地震发生的频率有点高。
• Pinyin: Zuìjìn dìzhèn fāshēng de pínlǜ yǒudiǎn gāo.
• English: The frequency of earthquakes recently has been a bit high.
• Analysis: This demonstrates how 频率 is used in news reports and discussions about natural phenomena.
• Example 4:
• 为了保持健康，你应该增加锻炼的频率。
• Pinyin: Wèile bǎochí jiànkāng, nǐ yīnggāi zēngjiā duànliàn de pínlǜ.
• English: To stay healthy, you should increase the frequency of your exercise.
• Analysis: This is a great example of using 频率 for personal habits. Note the structure: `[Action] de pínlǜ`.
• Example 5:
• 这辆公交车的发车频率是十五分钟一趟。
• Pinyin: Zhè liàng gōngjiāochē de fāchē pínlǜ shì shíwǔ fēnzhōng yī tàng.
• English: The departure frequency of this bus is one trip every fifteen minutes.
• Analysis: Used here to describe a schedule. 发车 (fāchē) means “to depart.”
• Example 6:
• 随着年龄的增长，我们见面的频率越来越低了。
• Pinyin: Suízhe niánlíng de zēngzhǎng, wǒmen jiànmiàn de pínlǜ yuèláiyuè dī le.
• English: As we've gotten older, the frequency of our meetings has become lower and lower.
• Analysis: A more sentimental, but still analytical, way to talk about relationships and time.
• Example 7:
• 他更新博客的频率很高，几乎每天都发。
• Pinyin: Tā gēngxīn bókè de pínlǜ hěn gāo, jīhū měitiān dōu fā.
• English: The frequency with which he updates his blog is very high; he posts almost every day.
• Analysis: A modern example related to internet usage.
• Example 8:
• 我们必须降低系统出错的频率。
• Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū jiàngdī xìtǒng chūcuò de pínlǜ.
• English: We must reduce the frequency of system errors.
• Analysis: A typical example from a business or IT context. 降低 (jiàngdī) means “to lower” or “reduce.”
• Example 9:
• 不同动物能听到的声音频率范围是不同的。
• Pinyin: Bùtóng dòngwù néng tīngdào de shēngyīn pínlǜ fànwéi shì bùtóng de.
• English: The range of sound frequencies that different animals can hear is different.
• Analysis: A scientific sentence showing how 频率 combines with other words like 范围 (fànwéi - range).
• Example 10:
• 高频率的练习是学习语言的关键。
• Pinyin: Gāo pínlǜ de liànxí shì xuéxí yǔyán de guānjiàn.
• English: High-frequency practice is the key to learning a language.
• Analysis: A great piece of advice for language learners! Here, 高 (gāo - high) directly modifies 频率 to form an adjective “high-frequency.”

The most common mistake for English speakers is confusing the noun 频率 with adverbs like `常常 (chángcháng)` or `经常 (jīngcháng)`, which both mean “often.”

• `频率` (pínlǜ) is a noun. It answers “What is the rate?”. It needs to be the subject or object of a sentence, often described with adjectives like 高 (gāo - high) or 低 (dī - low).
• `常常` (chángcháng) is an adverb. It answers “How often?”. It goes directly before the verb.

Incorrect Usage:

• `我频率去健身房。 (Wǒ pínlǜ qù jiànshēnfáng.)`
• Why it's wrong: This is like saying “I frequency go to the gym” in English. 频率 is a noun and cannot be used as an adverb to modify the verb 去 (qù).

Correct Usage:

• Option A (Using the noun 频率): 我去健身房的频率很高。 (Wǒ qù jiànshēnfáng de pínlǜ hěn gāo.) - “The frequency of my gym-going is high.”
• Option B (Using the adverb 常常): 我常常去健身房。 (Wǒ chángcháng qù jiànshēnfáng.) - “I often go to the gym.”

Another point of confusion is with `次数 (cìshù)` - number of times.

• `次数 (cìshù)` is a simple count. (e.g., 我去了三次 - I went three times).
• `频率 (pínlǜ)` is a rate (count over time). (e.g., 我一周去三次，这个频率很高 - I go three times a week, this frequency is high).

• 次数 (cìshù) - The number of times, a simple count. Contrasts with 频率, which is a rate.
• 概率 (gàilǜ) - Probability, likelihood. A related statistical concept that measures “how likely,” whereas 频率 measures “how often.”
• 比率 (bǐlǜ) - Ratio, rate. A broader term for a statistical rate; 频率 is a specific type of rate related to repetition.
• 常常 (chángcháng) - Often. The adverbial equivalent used to describe frequent actions.
• 经常 (jīngcháng) - Frequently, often. A slightly more formal synonym of 常常.
• 偶尔 (ǒu'ěr) - Occasionally, once in a while. The conceptual opposite of doing something with high frequency.
• 高频 (gāopín) - High-frequency. A very common compound word used as an adjective (e.g., 高频词汇 gāopín cíhuì - high-frequency vocabulary).
• 低频 (dīpín) - Low-frequency. The opposite of 高频.
• 速度 (sùdù) - Speed, velocity. Another important noun that measures a rate (distance over time).