Difference between revisions of "Reduplication of adjectives"
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| − | One of the charming features of Chinese is reduplication of certain words and characters, including adjectives! | + | One of the charming features of Chinese is reduplication (repeating, or doubling up) of certain words and characters, including adjectives! Reduplication makes the descriptive feeling of the adjective stronger. |
| − | == | + | == One-Syllable Adjectives (AA) == |
| − | + | If an adjective is only one syllable (one character), then reduplicating it is a no-brainer. In most Chinese textbooks and grammar books, this is known as the "AA" pattern. | |
| + | |||
| + | === Structure === | ||
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| Line 14: | Line 16: | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | + | Note that this pattern is also identical to single-syllable reduplication of [[verb]]s. | |
| + | |||
| + | === Examples === | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * 妈妈的手 <em>暖暖的</em>。<span class="trans">Mother's hands are | + | * 妈妈的手 <em>暖暖的</em>。<span class="trans">Mother's hands are warm.</span> |
| − | * 你的 脸 <em>红红的</em>。<span class="trans">Your face is | + | * 你的 脸 <em>红红的</em>。<span class="trans">Your face is red.</span> |
| − | * 果汁 <em>甜甜的</em>。<span class="trans"> | + | * 果汁 <em>甜甜的</em>。<span class="trans">Fruit juice is sweet.</span> |
| + | |||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Two-Syllable Adjectives (ABAB) == | ||
| + | |||
| + | If the adjective has more than one character, then you should repeat each character individually (rather than the whole word). This is known as the "AABB" pattern. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Structure === | ||
| + | |||
| + | In the structure below, the original two-character adjective (such as 高兴, 漂亮) is "AB," where the first character of the adjective is represented by "A," and the second by "B." | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | A + A + B +B + 的 | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | + | === Examples === | |
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * 高高兴兴<span class="trans"> | + | * 高高兴兴<span class="trans">happy</span> |
| − | * 舒舒服服<span class="trans"> | + | * 漂漂亮亮<span class="trans">pretty</span> |
| − | * 辛辛苦苦<span class="trans"> | + | * 舒舒服服<span class="trans">comfortable</span> |
| + | * 辛辛苦苦<span class="trans">hard</span> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | == | + | == Using Reduplicated Adjectives (AABB) as Adverbs == |
| − | When | + | When adjectives are used as [[adverb]]s to modify verbs, you can reduplicate the adjective using the AABB pattern. |
| + | |||
| + | === Structure === | ||
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | A B | + | A + A + B + B + 地 + Verb |
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Examples === | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | * 过年 的 时候 ，我们 全 家人 都 聚 在 一起 ，<em>热 热 闹 闹</em> <strong>地</strong> 吃 年夜饭 。<span class="trans">At Chinese New Year, our whole family gathers together and joyously shares a New Year's Eve meal.</span> | ||
| + | *结婚的时候，人们喜欢放鞭炮来<em>热闹热闹</em>。<span class="trans">People prefer to set off the fireworks to celebrate when they get married.</span> | ||
| + | *妹妹快过生日了，我打算给她办一个生日派对，<em>热闹</em>一下。<span class="trans">My little sister's birthday is coming and I'm going to celebrate it by throwing her a birthday party.</span> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Using Reduplicated Adjectives (ABAB) as Predicates == | ||
| + | |||
| + | If you need the [[adjectives]] as the predicates, then you're basically using the adjective like a verb, and you reduplicate it as you would a verb, which means ABAB form. Using an adjective in this way is roughly equivalent to using 一下 after the (non-reduplicated) adjective. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Structure === | ||
| + | |||
| + | To use a reduplicated adjective as a predicate, follow this structure: | ||
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | Subject + verb + A B A B | + | Subject + verb + A + B + A + B |
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | The above structure is essentially equivalent to this one: | ||
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | Subject + verb + A B + 一下 | + | Subject + verb + A + B + 一下 |
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | ==Examples== | + | === Examples === |
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | *结婚 的 时候 ，人们 喜欢 <em>热闹热闹</em>。<span class="trans">People prefer to set off the fireworks to celebrate when they get married.</span> | |
| − | + | *妹妹 快 过 生日 了 ，我 打算 给 她 办 一 个 生日 派对 ，<em>热闹</em>一下。<span class="trans">My little sister's birthday is coming and I'm going to celebrate it by throwing her a birthday party.</span> | |
| − | * | ||
| − | * | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 02:00, 10 September 2013
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One of the charming features of Chinese is reduplication (repeating, or doubling up) of certain words and characters, including adjectives! Reduplication makes the descriptive feeling of the adjective stronger.
Contents
One-Syllable Adjectives (AA)
If an adjective is only one syllable (one character), then reduplicating it is a no-brainer. In most Chinese textbooks and grammar books, this is known as the "AA" pattern.
Structure
Adj + Adj + 的
Note that this pattern is also identical to single-syllable reduplication of verbs.
Examples
- 妈妈的手 暖暖的。Mother's hands are warm.
- 你的 脸 红红的。Your face is red.
- 果汁 甜甜的。Fruit juice is sweet.
Two-Syllable Adjectives (ABAB)
If the adjective has more than one character, then you should repeat each character individually (rather than the whole word). This is known as the "AABB" pattern.
Structure
In the structure below, the original two-character adjective (such as 高兴, 漂亮) is "AB," where the first character of the adjective is represented by "A," and the second by "B."
A + A + B +B + 的
Examples
- 高高兴兴happy
- 漂漂亮亮pretty
- 舒舒服服comfortable
- 辛辛苦苦hard
Using Reduplicated Adjectives (AABB) as Adverbs
When adjectives are used as adverbs to modify verbs, you can reduplicate the adjective using the AABB pattern.
Structure
A + A + B + B + 地 + Verb
Examples
- 过年 的 时候 ，我们 全 家人 都 聚 在 一起 ，热 热 闹 闹 地 吃 年夜饭 。At Chinese New Year, our whole family gathers together and joyously shares a New Year's Eve meal.
- 结婚的时候，人们喜欢放鞭炮来热闹热闹。People prefer to set off the fireworks to celebrate when they get married.
- 妹妹快过生日了，我打算给她办一个生日派对，热闹一下。My little sister's birthday is coming and I'm going to celebrate it by throwing her a birthday party.
Using Reduplicated Adjectives (ABAB) as Predicates
If you need the adjectives as the predicates, then you're basically using the adjective like a verb, and you reduplicate it as you would a verb, which means ABAB form. Using an adjective in this way is roughly equivalent to using 一下 after the (non-reduplicated) adjective.
Structure
To use a reduplicated adjective as a predicate, follow this structure:
Subject + verb + A + B + A + B
The above structure is essentially equivalent to this one:
Subject + verb + A + B + 一下
Examples
- 结婚 的 时候 ，人们 喜欢 热闹热闹。People prefer to set off the fireworks to celebrate when they get married.
- 妹妹 快 过 生日 了 ，我 打算 给 她 办 一 个 生日 派对 ，热闹一下。My little sister's birthday is coming and I'm going to celebrate it by throwing her a birthday party.
Note: The "AABB" pattern for reduplication of two-syllable adjectives contrasts with the "ABAB" pattern for reduplication of two-syllable verbs.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (p. 53) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 189-90) →buy
- Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar (pp. 32-6) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 50) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 103-4) →buy
- 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (pp. 271-2)→buy
