How to use reduplications in Mandarin Chinese?

The “AA” type of reduplication consists of a one-syllable (one Chinese character) word. It can be used with nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. For example:

• Noun

  • 天 (transcribed tiān, meaning “day”) → 天天 (transcribed tiāntiān, meaning “every day”)

• Verb

  • 走 (transcribed zǒu, meaning “to walk”) → 走走 (transcribed zǒuzou, meaning “to take a stroll outside for a bit”)

    • Note: In this case, the second word's tone changes to the neutral tone.

• Adjective

  • 
    小 (transcribed xiǎo, meaning “small”) → 小小的 (transcribed xiǎoxiǎo de, meaning “small and cute”)

• Adverb

  • 常 (transcribed cháng, meaning “often”) → 常常 (transcribed chángcháng, meaning “often”)

To use the “A + 一 (transcribed yī) + A” type of reduplications, follow this pattern:

This type is a variety of the AA verb type, and is often used with monosyllabic verbs, as well. This variety and the AA type are interchangeable. For example:

Like the “A + 一 (transcribed yī) + A” reduplications, “A + 了 (transcribed le) + A” reduplications are also a variety of the AA verb type with monosyllabic verbs, but “verb + 了 + verb” is for past events only.

For example:

了 (transcribed le) here tends to express a past event, for example:

The “AAB” reduplications type is for a verb-object structure, such as 唱歌 (transcribed chànggē, meaning “to sing a song”). Here, 唱 (transcribed chàng, meaning “to sing”) is the verb and 歌 (transcribed gē, meaning “song”) is the object. In the verb-object structure, only the verb is repeated. For example:

• 唱唱歌 (transcribed chàngchang gē, meaning “to sing for a bit”)
• 跳跳舞 (transcribed tiàotiao wǔ, meaning “to dance for a bit”)
• 游游泳 (transcribed yóuyou yǒng, meaning “to swim for a bit”)

The “ABAB” type of reduplications is for verbs with two syllables (two Chinese characters), and the entire word is repeated. For example:

• 讨论 (transcribed tǎolùn, meaning “to discuss”) → 讨论讨论 (transcribed tǎolùn tǎolùn, meaning “to discuss a bit”)

• 参观 (transcribed cānguān, meaning “to visit”) → 参观参观 (transcribed cānguān cānguān, meaning “to casually visit”)

• 凉快 (transcribed liángkuai, meaning “to cool down”) → 凉快凉快 (transcribed liángkuai liángkuai, meaning “to cool down a bit”)

AABB reduplications are for adjectives with two syllables (two Chinese characters), but each character is repeated individually (rather than the whole word). For example:

• 热闹 (transcribed rènao, meaning “lively”) → 热热闹闹 (transcribed rère nāonāo, meaning “buzzing with excitement”)

• 漂亮 (transcribed piàoliang, meaning “pretty”) → 漂漂亮亮 (transcribed piàopiao liāngliāng, meaning “very pretty”)

• 高兴 (transcribed gāoxìng, meaning “happy”) → 高高兴兴 (transcribed gāogāo xìngxìng, meaning “cheerful”)

In the case of the AABB type, a tone change may occur in some words. For example, a tone change occurs in the first two examples: the second word changes to a neutral tone and the third and fourth words change to the first tone. However, a tone change does not apply in the final example above.

The”AA/AABB + 的 (transcribed de)” type mostly suits adjectives, for both AA and AABB types. The particle 的 (transcribed de) here is an adjective marker to describe a situation. This structure is widely used, so you can take it as a fixed structure. For example:

• 红红的 (transcribed hónghóng de, meaning “(lovely) red”)
• 高高的 (transcribed gāogāo de, meaning “(pleasantly) tall”)
• 安安静静的 (transcribed ānānjìngjìng de, meaning “peaceful and serene”)

When the adjectives listed here are used by themselves, we don't add 的 (transcribed de), but when they are used as reduplications, 的 (transcribed de) tends to be added in the end of the pattern. For example:

The reduplication of verbs indicates that something occurs for “a little while” or “a little bit.” For example:

• 走走 (transcribed zǒuzou, meaning “to have a bit of walk”)
• 看看书 (transcribed kànkan shū, meaning “to read a little”)
• 整理整理 (transcribed zhěnglǐ zhěnglǐ, meaning “to tidy up a little”)

An important function of reduplication in Mandarin is to soften the tone, showing modesty and politeness. These are done through the meaning of “a little bit” or “casual,” indicated by the reduplication.

Reduplications can be used in Mandarin Chinese to indicate the speaker’s attitude about something.

The first sentence above simply states the fact, while the second indicates “lovely,” revealing the speaker’s attitude.

Reduplication can also be used to intensify the degree of a claim. For example, take the English sentence below:

The degree of happiness has been intensified through the reduplication of “so” in the second sentence. Like English, this is also the case in Mandarin. For example:

• 漂亮 (transcribed piàoliang, meaning “pretty”) → 漂漂亮亮 (transcribed piàopiao liāngliāng, meaning “very pretty”)

• 天 (transcribed tiān, meaning “day”) → 天天 (transcribed tiāntiān, meaning “everyday”)

• 人 (transcribed rén, meaning “person”) → 人人 (transcribed rénrén, meaning “everyone”)

The above three examples illustrate that reduplication can increase the degree of the claim in question.