Translation guide
How to express 'three times' in Japanese, covering frequency, multiplication, and common patterns.
Expressing that something happens or is done three times.
The most common and neutral way to say 'three times' for occurrences. Uses the counter 回 (かい) for times/occurrences.
I have been to Japan three times.
Please take this medicine three times a day.
Also means 'three times', but 度 (ど) can sound slightly more formal or literary. Often interchangeable with 三回, but 三度 is preferred in some set phrases.
A literary or formal expression meaning 'three times' or 'for the third time'. Rare in everyday speech.
Expressing that something is multiplied by three or is three times as much.
Means 'three times' in the sense of multiplication or multiple. Use 倍 (ばい) for 'times' as in 'X times as much'.
This box is three times as big as that box.
His salary is three times mine.
Emphasizing that something happens three times consecutively.
Both 回 (かい) and 度 (ど) mean 'times' for occurrences. 回 is more common in daily conversation. 度 is slightly more formal and appears in set phrases like 一度 (いちど, once) and 二度と (にどと, never again). For 'three times', 三回 is the default; 三度 is acceptable but may sound a bit stiff unless in a fixed expression.
To say 'the third time' (as in an ordinal), use 三回目 (さんかいめ) or 三度目 (さんどめ). For example, 'This is my third time' → これで三回目です (これでさんかいめです).
Third time's the charm. (lit. The third time is the honest one.)
He made the same mistake three times.
To stand on the battlefield for the third time.