Difference between revisions of "Reduplication of verbs"
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* 我 <em>试试</em> 。<span class="trans">I'll give it a little try.</span> | * 我 <em>试试</em> 。<span class="trans">I'll give it a little try.</span> | ||
* 你 <em>听听</em> 。<span class="trans">(You) Listen for a bit.</span> | * 你 <em>听听</em> 。<span class="trans">(You) Listen for a bit.</span> | ||
| − | * 你 <em>说说</em> 你的看法。 | + | * 你 <em>说说</em> 你的看法。<span class="trans">Talk a little bit about your opinion.</span> |
| − | * 周末 的 时候 跟 朋友 <em>吃吃</em> 饭，很 好。 | + | * 周末 的 时候 跟 朋友 <em>吃吃</em> 饭，很 好。<span class="trans">During the weekend, eat a little bit with friends, it's awesome.</span> |
| − | * 没事 的 时候 我 喜欢 <em>写写</em> 东西。 | + | * 没事 的 时候 我 喜欢 <em>写写</em> 东西。<span class="trans">When I have nothing to do, I like to write a little bit.</span> |
| − | * <em>洗洗</em> 你 的 臭 袜子 吧！ | + | * <em>洗洗</em> 你 的 臭 袜子 吧！<span class="trans">Wash your stinky socks a bit!</span> |
| − | * 不要 生气 了，<em>笑笑</em> ！ | + | * 不要 生气 了，<em>笑笑</em> ！<span class="trans">You don't need to get mad, laugh a little!</span> |
| − | * 快点 去 <em>问问</em> 厕所 在 哪 里。 | + | * 快点 去 <em>问问</em> 厕所 在 哪 里。<span class="trans">Hurry and go ask a while where the bathroom is.</span> |
| − | * 我 想 出去 <em>走走</em> 。 | + | * 我 想 出去 <em>走走</em> 。<span class="trans">I want to go out and walk for a bit.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 08:32, 22 November 2013
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Level
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Used for
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Keywords
One of the fun things about Chinese is that you can repeat certain things to express "a little bit", similar to how in some Latin languages you can add a bit to the end of a word to make it "cute".
Structure
In Chinese, verbs can be reduplicated to indicate that they happen briefly or "a little bit".
Subject + Verb + Verb
Examples
- 你 看看 。(You) Take a little look.
- 我 试试 。I'll give it a little try.
- 你 听听 。(You) Listen for a bit.
- 你 说说 你的看法。Talk a little bit about your opinion.
- 周末 的 时候 跟 朋友 吃吃 饭，很 好。During the weekend, eat a little bit with friends, it's awesome.
- 没事 的 时候 我 喜欢 写写 东西。When I have nothing to do, I like to write a little bit.
- 洗洗 你 的 臭 袜子 吧！Wash your stinky socks a bit!
- 不要 生气 了，笑笑 ！You don't need to get mad, laugh a little!
- 快点 去 问问 厕所 在 哪 里。Hurry and go ask a while where the bathroom is.
- 我 想 出去 走走 。I want to go out and walk for a bit.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 18) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 85) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 227-8) →buy
- Contemporary Chinese 1 (当代中文1) (pp. 125) →buy
- Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼) (pp. 152-160) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (p. 121-2) →buy
