Difference between revisions of "Reduplication of adjectives"
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| − | One way to intensify adjectives is to reduplicate them. This creates a sense of "really" or "very", and makes the descriptive power of the adjective stronger. | + | One way to intensify [[adjectives]] is to reduplicate them. This creates a sense of "really" or "very", and makes the descriptive power of the adjective stronger. |
The structure is: | The structure is: | ||
Revision as of 03:06, 5 December 2011
One way to intensify adjectives is to reduplicate them. This creates a sense of "really" or "very", and makes the descriptive power of the adjective stronger.
The structure is:
Adj + Adj + 的
In most Chinese textbooks and grammar books, this is known as the "AA" pattern. Some examples:
- 外面 冷冷的。
- 你的 脸 红红的。
- 天气 热热的。
If the adjective has more than one character, then you should repeat each character individually. This is known as the "AABB" pattern. Examples:
- 高高兴兴
- 舒舒服服
- 糊糊涂涂
Note: The "AABB" pattern for reduplication of two-syllable adjectives contrasts with the "ABAB" pattern for reduplication of two-syllable verbs.
Sources and further reading
Books
- Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar (pp. 32 - 36)
