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Reduplication of adjectives
===========================
[](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/ASGDHE8S)
-
Level
[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)
-
Similar to
- [Simple "noun + adjective"
sentences](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Simple_%22noun_%2B_adjective%22_sentences) (A1)
- [Reduplication of
verbs](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Reduplication_of_verbs) (A2)
-
Used for
[Expressing
quality](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_quality)
-
Keywords
[的](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%9A%84)
[{width="300"
height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki-de-1.jpg)
Contents
--------
[hide]([# "wikilink")\]
- [1 One-Syllable
Adjectives
(AA)](#One-Syllable_Adjectives_.28AA.29 "wikilink")
- [1.1
Structure](#Structure "wikilink")
- [1.2
Examples](#Examples "wikilink")
- [2 Two-Syllable
Adjectives
(AABB)](#Two-Syllable_Adjectives_.28AABB.29 "wikilink")
- [2.1
Structure](#Structure_2 "wikilink")
- [2.2
Examples](#Examples_2 "wikilink")
- [3 Used as
Adverbs (AABB)](#Used_as_Adverbs_.28AABB.29 "wikilink")
- [3.1
Structure](#Structure_3 "wikilink")
- [3.2
Examples](#Examples_3 "wikilink")
- [4 Used as
Predicates (ABAB)](#Used_as_Predicates_.28ABAB.29 "wikilink")
- [4.1
Structure](#Structure_4 "wikilink")
- [4.2
Examples](#Examples_4 "wikilink")
- [5 Sources and
further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink")
- [5.1
Books](#Books "wikilink")
Adj. + Adj. + 的 (+ Noun)
Another way of putting that (and we'll be using this form more
extensively below) is:
A A + 的 (+ Noun)
Note that this pattern is also identical to [single-syllable
reduplication of
verbs](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Reduplication_of_verbs).
### Examples
- 你 的 脸 *红 红 的* 。Nǐ de liǎn *hóng hóng
de*.Your face is red.
- 宝宝 的 眼睛 *大 大 的* 。Bǎobao de yǎnjīng *dà
dà de*.The baby's eyes are big.
- 今晚 的 月亮 *圆 圆 的* 。Jīnwǎn de yuèliàng
*yuán yuán de*.The moon is round
tonight.
- 她 爸爸 *高 高 胖 胖 的* 。Tā bàba *gāo gāo
pàng pàng de*.Her father is tall and
fat.
- 我 妹妹 *瘦 瘦 小 小 的* 。Wǒ mèimei *shòu shòu
xiǎo xiǎo de*.My little sister is thin
and small.
Two-Syllable Adjectives (AABB)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If the adjective has more than one character, then you should repeat
each character individually (rather than the whole word). This is known
as the "AABB" pattern.
### Structure
In the structure below, the original two-character adjective (such as
高兴, 漂亮) is "AB," where the first character of the adjective is
represented by "A," and the second by "B."
A A B B + 的 (+ Noun)
### Examples
Not all two-syllable adjectives are used in AABB form, but here are some
common examples of AB adjectives represented in AABB form.
- 高兴 → 高高兴兴 gāoxìng ￫ gāo gāo xìng
xìnghappy
- 热闹 → 热热闹闹 rènao ￫ rè rè nāo
nāoexciting
- 漂亮 → 漂漂亮亮 piàoliang ￫ piào piào liāng
liāngpretty
- 舒服 → 舒舒服服 shūfu ￫ shū shū fū
fūcomfortable
- 安静 → 安安静静 ānjìng ￫ ān ān jìng
jìngpeaceful
Not all adjectives can take AABB form. Here are some examples of common
adjectives that don't work in AABB form.
- 好吃 → **好好吃吃** hǎochī ￫ **hǎo hǎo chī
chī** tasty
- 便宜 → **便便宜宜** piányi ￫
**piánpiányīyī**cheap
- 麻烦 → **麻麻烦烦** máfan ￫ **má má fán fán**
bothersome
Used as Adverbs (AABB)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When adjectives are used as
[adverbs](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Adverb)
to modify verbs, you can reduplicate the adjective using the AABB
pattern.
### Structure
AABB + 地 + Verb
### Examples
- 我们 *清清楚楚* **地** 看到 他 跟 一 个 胖 胖 的 男人 上 车 了
。Wǒmen *qīng qīng chǔ chǔ* **de** kàndào tā
gēn yīgè pàng pàng de nánrén shàngchē
le.We clearly saw him get in the car with
a fat man.
- 我 真 想 *舒舒服服* **地** 躺 在 沙发 上 看 电视
。Wǒ zhēn xiǎng *shū shū fū fū* **de** tǎng zài
shāfā shàng kàn diànshì.I'd really like
to comfortably lie on the couch and watch TV.
- 你 妈妈 *辛辛苦苦* **地** 做 了 两 个 小时 的 饭，你 怎么 不 吃
？辛辛苦苦 is difficult to translate into English
directly!Nǐ māma *xīn xīn kǔ kǔ* **de**
zuò le liǎng gè xiǎoshí de fàn, nǐ zěnme bù
chī?Your mother labored over this meal
for two hours, and you aren't going to eat it?
Used as Predicates (ABAB)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you use an
[adjective](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Adjective)
as a
[predicate](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Predicate),
then you're basically using the adjective like a verb, and you
reduplicate it [as you would a
verb](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Reduplication_of_verbs),
which means ABAB form. Using an adjective in this way is roughly
equivalent to using 一下 after the (non-reduplicated) adjective.
### Structure
To use a reduplicated adjective as a predicate, follow this structure:
Subj. + ABAB
or
Subj. + AB + 一下
In the pattern above there's no verb, because when an adjective serves
as the predicate, it does the job of a verb. Notice also that there's no
的 after the ABAB, because it's not acting as an adjective.
### Examples
- 妹妹 快 过 生日 了 ，我 打算 给 她 办 一 个 生日 派对 ，*热闹 热闹*
。Mèimei kuàiguò shēngrìle, wǒ dǎsuàn gěi tā
bàn yīgè shēngrì pàiduì, *rènao rènao*.My
little sister's birthday is coming and I plan to throw her a
birthday party and have a blast.
- 来 ，喝 点 酒 ，*高兴 高兴* 。Lái, hē diǎn jiǔ,
*gāoxìng gāoxìng*.Come on, have a little
wine and enjoy yourself.
- 到 这里 来 *凉快 凉快* 。Dào zhèlǐ lái
*liángkuai liángkuai*.Come over here and
cool off.
- 我 想 去 外面 走走 ，安静 *一下* 。Wǒ xiǎng qù
wàimiàn zǒuzou, ānjìng *yīxià*.I'd like
to take a walk outside. Spend some alone time.
- 想 不 想 去 做 个 按摩 ，*放松 一下* 。Xiǎng bu
xiǎng qù zuò gè ànmó, *fàngsōng
yīxià*.Would you like to go get a massage
and unwind?
**Note:** The "AABB" pattern for reduplication of two-syllable
adjectives contrasts with the ["ABAB" pattern for reduplication of
two-syllable
verbs](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Reduplication_of_verbs).
Sources and further reading
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
### Books
- [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2
(3rd ed)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed)) (pp.
53) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2femBuy)
- [Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part
2](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_2) (pp.
189-90) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2ftpILV)
- [Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference
Grammar](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Mandarin_Chinese:_A_Functional_Reference_Grammar) (pp.
32-6) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2yOtlXc)
- [New Practical Chinese Reader
3 (新实用汉语课本3)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_3_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC3)) (pp.
50)
[→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/756191251X/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=756191251X)
- [New Practical Chinese Reader
4 (新实用汉语课本4)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_4_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC4)) (pp.
103-4)
[→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561913192/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561913192)
- [40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course
(基础汉语40课上册）](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/40_Lessons_for_Basic_Chinese_Course_(%E5%9F%BA%E7%A1%80%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD40%E8%AF%BE%E4%B8%8A%E5%86%8C%EF%BC%89) (pp.
271-2)
[→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20)
[Categories](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:Categories):
- [B1 grammar
points](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:B1_grammar_points)
- [Adjectives](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:Adjectives)
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