Verb reduplication with "yi"
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Keywords
Reduplication of certain verbs and adding an 一 (yī) can change the degree of something to "a little bit".
Structure
One way to reduplicate verbs is to insert 一 (yī), in the following structure:
Verb + 一 + Verb
As with simple verb reduplication, this creates a sense that the verb is done briefly or "a little bit".
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 的 时候 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?
Note: 上面的这个结构都可以变成“Verb + Verb”形式,比如“看看,听听,试试,说说,练练,走走,笑笑,玩玩,问问,用用”,意思保持不变。
- 给 我 看 看 。Let me look a little.
- 你 听 听 。(You) Listen a bit.
- 去 试 试 。(You) Go and try it a bit.
- 请 老师 给 我们 说说。Teacher, please explain it to us a little.
- 我 跟 你 练 练 中文 吧。Practice Chinese a little bit with me.
- 我们 出去走 走 吧。Let's go out side to walk for a bit.
- 别 生气 了,笑 笑 嘛!Don't get mad, laugh a little bit!
- 周末 的 时候 我们 想 去 杭州 玩 玩 。When it's the weekend, we should think about going to Hangzhou for some fun.
- 你 问 问 他们 厕所 在 哪里。(You), ask them a bit where the bathroom is.
- 我 可以 用 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
- Contemporary Chinese 1 (当代中文1) (p. 125) →buy
- Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼) (pp. 152-160) →buy