Difference between revisions of "Reduplication of verbs"
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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". | 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 == | + | == Reduplication with VV pattern == |
| + | |||
| + | === Structure === | ||
In Chinese, verbs can be reduplicated to indicate that they happen briefly or "a little bit". | In Chinese, verbs can be reduplicated to indicate that they happen briefly or "a little bit". | ||
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</div> | </div> | ||
| − | == Examples == | + | === Examples === |
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
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* 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 想法。<span class="trans">Talk a little bit about your opinion.</span> | * 你 <em>说 说</em> 你 的 想法。<span class="trans">Talk a little bit about your opinion.</span> | ||
| − | * 周末 | + | * 周末 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> |
| − | * | + | * 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！<span class="trans">Wash your stinky socks a bit!</span> | * <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> ！<span class="trans">You don't need to get mad, laugh a little!</span> | * 不要 生气 了，<em>笑 笑</em> ！<span class="trans">You don't need to get mad, laugh a little!</span> | ||
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</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | == Reduplication with "一" == | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Structure === | ||
| + | |||
| + | Another way to reduplicate verbs is to insert 一 (yī), in the following structure: | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Verb + 一 + Verb | ||
| + | |||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Examples === | ||
| + | |||
| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | |||
| + | * 给 我 <em>看 一 看</em> 。<span class="trans">Let me look a little.</span> | ||
| + | * 你 <em>听 一 听</em> 。<span class="trans">(You) Listen a bit.</span> | ||
| + | * 去 <em>试 一 试</em> 。<span class="trans">(You) Go and try it a bit.</span> | ||
| + | * 请 老师 给 我们 <em>说 一 说</em>。<span class="trans">Teacher, please explain it to us a little.</span> | ||
| + | * 我 跟 你 <em>练 一 练</em> 中文 吧。<span class="trans">Practice Chinese a little bit with me.</span> | ||
| + | * 我们 出去<em>走 一 走</em> 吧。<span class="trans">Let's go out side to walk for a bit.</span> | ||
| + | * 别 生气 了，<em>笑 一 笑</em> 嘛！<span class="trans">Don't get mad, laugh a little bit!</span> | ||
| + | * 周末 我们 想 去 杭州 <em>玩 一 玩</em> 。<span class="trans">When it's the weekend, we should think about going to Hangzhou for some fun.</span> | ||
| + | * 你 <em>问 一 问</em> 他们 厕所 在 哪里。<span class="trans">(You), ask them a bit where the bathroom is.</span> | ||
| + | * 我 可以 <em>用 一 用</em> 你 的 电脑 吗？<span class="trans">Can I use your computer for a little bit?</span> | ||
| + | |||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| − | + | ||
*[[Softening speech with "ba"]] | *[[Softening speech with "ba"]] | ||
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[[Category:A2 grammar points]] | [[Category:A2 grammar points]] | ||
{{Basic Grammar|none|A2|V + V|你 <em>看 看</em>。|grammar point|ASGYC77J}} | {{Basic Grammar|none|A2|V + V|你 <em>看 看</em>。|grammar point|ASGYC77J}} | ||
| − | |||
{{Similar|Softening speech with "ba"}} | {{Similar|Softening speech with "ba"}} | ||
{{Similar|Verbing briefly}} | {{Similar|Verbing briefly}} | ||
Revision as of 03:33, 14 July 2014
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Level
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Similar to
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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".
Contents
Reduplication with VV pattern
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 想法。Talk a little bit about your opinion.
- 周末 跟 朋友 吃 吃 饭，很 好。During the weekend, eat a little bit with friends, it's awesome.
- 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.
Reduplication with "一"
Structure
Another way to reduplicate verbs is to insert 一 (yī), in the following structure:
Verb + 一 + Verb
Examples
- 给 我 看 一 看 。Let me look a little.
- 你 听 一 听 。(You) Listen a bit.
- 去 试 一 试 。(You) Go and try it a bit.
- 请 老师 给 我们 说 一 说。Teacher, please explain it to us a little.
- 我 跟 你 练 一 练 中文 吧。Practice Chinese a little bit with me.
- 我们 出去走 一 走 吧。Let's go out side to walk for a bit.
- 别 生气 了，笑 一 笑 嘛！Don't get mad, laugh a little bit!
- 周末 我们 想 去 杭州 玩 一 玩 。When it's the weekend, we should think about going to Hangzhou for some fun.
- 你 问 一 问 他们 厕所 在 哪里。(You), ask them a bit where the bathroom is.
- 我 可以 用 一 用 你 的 电脑 吗？Can I use your computer for a little bit?
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (p. 18) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (p. 85) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 227-8) →buy
- Contemporary Chinese 1 (当代中文1) (p. 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
