Using "zhe" when "verbing away"

A repeated verb followed by the particle 着 (zhe) is used to show that an action has been repeated for a period of time, and as a result a new situation has arisen which the speaker wishes to comment on.

Structure

Verb + 着 + Verb + 着 + 就 + Comment + 了

Examples

  • 发现 自己 也 糊涂 Shuōzhe shuōzhejiù fāxiàn zìjǐ yě hútu le.After talking and talking, I realized that I had confused myself.
  • 我 今天 一直 都 在 看 《论语》, 睡着 Wǒ jīntiān yīzhí dōu zài kàn Lúnyǔ, kànzhe kànzhe, jiù shuìzháo le.Today, I was reading the Confucian Analects all day. As I was reading, I fell asleep.
  • 我 在 北京 的 胡同 里 走丢 Wǒ zài Běijīng de hútòng li zǒuzhe zǒuzhe jiù zǒu diū le.Walking and walking in Beijing's back alleys, I got lost.
  • 游戏, 把 时间 忘 wánzhe wánzhe yóuxì, jiù bǎ shíjiān wàng le.I played and played the game, and I forgot the time.
  • 歌, 唱 起来 tīngzhe tīngzhe gē, jiù chàng qǐlái le.As I listened and listened to the songs, I began to sing.
  • 两 个 人 饭, 吵 起来 Liǎng gè rén chīzhe chīzhe fàn, jiù chǎo qǐlái le.The two of them ate and ate, and then started arguing.
  • 发现 办公室 大家 都 走 Xiězhe xiězhe, jiù fāxiàn bàngōngshì dàjiā dōu zǒu le.After writing and writing, we realized that everyone in the office had left.
  • 今天 在 家 录 视频 , ,天 都 已经 黑 Jīntiān zài jiā lù shìpín, zhe zhe, tiān dōu yǐjīng hēi le.Today I recorded a video at home, and after all that recording it was already dark.
  • ,从 酒 里面 喝 出来 一 根 头发。zhe zhe, cóng jiǔ lǐmiàn hē chūlai yī gēn tóufǎ.I drank and drank and drank, and a hair came out of the wine.
  • 课, 听到 外面 有 人 叫 我。shàngzhe shàngzhe kè, jiù tīng dào wàimiàn yǒu rén jiào wǒ.As I sat through class after class, I heard someone calling me from outside.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books