Doubling words: 看看, 试一试, 高高兴兴
Double a verb to do it a little (看看, 休息休息); double an adjective to make it vivid (慢慢, 高高兴兴).
Part of the free A2 Chinese course (about HSK 3). Examples are in Simplified characters with pinyin; press the speaker to hear one with your device's Chinese voice.
Doubling verbs: just a little
Say an action verb twice and it means doing it a little, briefly, or just to try. It sounds relaxed and friendly, and it softens requests, much like 一下 (How many times: 次, 遍, 下).
| Verb | Doubled | Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| 看 (kàn), look | 看看 (kànkan) or 看一看 (kàn yi kàn) | one syllable: AA or A一A |
| 试 (shì), try | 试试 (shìshi) or 试一试 (shì yi shì) | |
| 休息 (xiūxi), rest | 休息休息 (xiūxi xiūxi) | two syllables: ABAB |
| 介绍 (jièshào), introduce | 介绍介绍 (jièshào jièshào) | |
| 散步 (sànbù), take a walk | 散散步 (sàn san bù) | verb + object: only the verb doubles |
The second half is said lightly (看看 kànkan), and the 一 in A一A is light too.
- 你看看这本书。(Nǐ kànkan zhè běn shū.)Have a look at this book.
- 我可以试一试吗？(Wǒ kěyǐ shì yi shì ma?)Can I give it a try?
- 你累了，休息休息吧。(Nǐ lèi le, xiūxi xiūxi ba.)You're tired; have a little rest.
- 周末我们去公园散散步吧。(Zhōumò wǒmen qù gōngyuán sàn san bù ba.)Let's go for a stroll in the park this weekend.
For something that already happened, 了 goes in the middle: 看了看, 想了想.
- 他想了想，没说话。(Tā xiǎng le xiǎng, méi shuōhuà.)He thought for a moment and said nothing.
Only action verbs double. Verbs of feeling, knowing and being don't: no 喜欢喜欢, 知道知道.
Doubling adjectives: vivid
Doubled describing words paint a picture: they sound vivid and often warm.
- One syllable: AA: 大大的 (dàdà de), 慢慢地 (mànmàn de), 红红的 (hónghóng de)
- Two syllables: AABB: 高高兴兴 (gāogāoxìngxìng), 干干净净 (gāngānjìngjìng), 清清楚楚 (qīngqīngchǔchǔ)
They are used with 的 before a noun, with 地 before a verb, after 得, or with 的 at the end (的, 地 and 得: three ways to write de):
- 她有一双大大的眼睛。(Tā yǒu yì shuāng dàdà de yǎnjing.)She has big, big eyes.
- 孩子们高高兴兴地去上学了。(Háizimen gāogāoxìngxìng de qù shàngxué le.)The children went off to school happily.
- 我们慢慢地走回家吧。(Wǒmen mànmàn de zǒu huí jiā ba.)Let's walk home slowly.
- 他把房间打扫得干干净净的。(Tā bǎ fángjiān dǎsǎo de gāngānjìngjìng de.)He cleaned the room until it was spotless.
A doubled adjective is already strong, so it takes no 很 or 非常, and no 不.
ABAB is the verb pattern, AABB the adjective pattern. That's why 高兴高兴 exists too, as a verb: 让大家高兴高兴 (ràng dàjiā gāoxìng gāoxìng) = cheer everyone up a bit. In Beijing speech you will also hear doubled one-syllable adjectives with 儿 and a first tone (好好儿 hǎohāor); the plain tones are always fine.
Common mistakes
休休息息→ 休息休息. Two-syllable verbs double as ABAB.休息一休息→ 休息休息, or 休息一下. A一A is only for one-syllable verbs.我昨天看看了那本书。→ 我昨天看了看那本书。了 goes in the middle.散步散步→ 散散步. Only the verb part doubles.她很高高兴兴。→ 她高高兴兴的, or 她很高兴. No 很 with a doubled adjective.
Practice
- 这双鞋很好看，你可以_____。(Zhè shuāng xié hěn hǎokàn, nǐ kěyǐ ___.)Options: 试一试 (shì yi shì) · 试一下试 (shì yíxià shì) · 一试试 (yí shìshi)
Show the answer
试一试 (shì yi shì) — One-syllable verb: AA (试试) or A一A (试一试).
- 你累了吧？_____吧。(Nǐ lèi le ba? ___ ba.)Options: 休息休息 (xiūxi xiūxi) · 休休息息 (xiūxiū xīxī) · 休息一休息 (xiūxi yi xiūxi)
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休息休息 (xiūxi xiūxi) — Two-syllable verbs double as ABAB.
- 教室打扫得_____。(Jiàoshì dǎsǎo de ___.)Options: 干干净净的 (gāngānjìngjìng de) · 干净干净 (gānjìng gānjìng) · 很干干净净 (hěn gāngānjìngjìng)
Show the answer
干干净净的 (gāngānjìngjìng de) — Adjectives double as AABB, without 很.
- Write the doubled form of 散步 (sànbù) for 'go for a little walk'.
Show the answer
散散步 — In a verb + object word, only the verb doubles.