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Coordinate Structure: “一会儿……,一会儿……”

In Chinese the pattern “一会儿……,一会儿……” (yíhuìr..., yíhuìr...) shows actions following one another in quick succession, or two states alternating.

Basic Structure

一会儿 + state / action 1,一会儿 + state / action 2

One moment …, the next …

or

Now …, now …

Examples

它一会儿在你脚边睡觉,一会儿在你身上爬

Structure

一会儿在你脚边睡觉 + 一会儿在你身上爬 sleeping by your feet + climbing over you 它 — it 一会儿在你脚边睡觉 — one moment it's asleep by your feet 一会儿在你身上爬 — the next it's climbing on you

Here two different actions alternate.

他一会儿进来,一会儿出去,忙得很

Structure

一会儿进来 + 一会儿出去 comes in + goes out 他 — he 一会儿进来 — one moment he comes in 一会儿出去 — the next he goes out 忙得很 — is very busy

In this sentence 进来 and 出去 follow one another in quick succession.

最近天气变化很快,一会儿冷,一会儿热

Structure

一会儿冷 + 一会儿热 cold one moment + hot the next 最近 — lately 天气变化很快 — the weather changes fast 一会儿冷 — cold one moment 一会儿热 — hot the next

Here two states — cold and hot — alternate.

Quick Rule

一会儿 + A,一会儿 + B

Meaning: two actions or states alternate within a short space of time.

Examples:

一会儿进来,一会儿出去
一会儿冷,一会儿热