一再【yízài】

一再 goes in front of the verb and says an action has been repeated several times. It is a written, slightly formal word, and the verbs it meets most are about speaking or insisting: 强调, 提醒, 要求, 表示, 说明, 拒绝.

Repeated delays and refusals

With 推迟, 拒绝 or 失败, 一再 describes a run of setbacks, and the tone is often frustrated.

一再 or 再三

再三 means much the same and can also go in front of the verb. Only 再三 can come after the verb, in set phrases like 考虑再三.

• × 考虑一再 → 考虑再三 / 一再考虑

一再 is not 再

再 is "again, one more time", for a single repeat, usually in the future. 一再 looks back on several repeats that already happened.

• × 你明天一再来吧 → 你明天再来吧