Speak Mandarin like a Chinese by repeating certain words (Part 2)

We often use 白白胖胖 (báibái pàng pàng fair-skinned and fat) to describe a chubby baby with cheeks that invite an affectionate pinch. And, 高高兴兴 (gāo gāoxìng xìng glad, gladly) is usually the first phrase that comes to mind when we want to describe being in a good mood.

上图显示著一些大大小小的纽扣.
Shàng tú xiǎnshì zhe yīxiē dà dà xiǎo xiǎo de niǔkòu.
The above picture shows a handful of buttons of various sizes.

Theoretically, you could apply this AABB pattern for any Chinese adjective or adverb. However, many adjectives and adverbs are customarily not repeated in this way. For example, I’ve never heard “美美丽丽” for 美丽 (měilì beautiful), or “悲悲伤伤” for “悲伤 (bēishāng sorrowful)”, or “小小气气” for 小气 (xiǎoqì stingy).

Following are a number of adjectives and adverbs that are commonly duplicated, usually for emphasis.

快快乐乐 (kuài kuàilè lè) happy, happily
和和气气 (hé hé qì qì) polite and amiable, in good spirits
轻轻松松 (qīng qīng sōng sōng) relaxed, easily, without effort
痛痛快快 (tòng tòng kuài kuài) open and direct, without hesitation, with alacrity
大大方方 (dà dà fāng fāng) generous, gracefully
方方正正 (fāng fāngz hèng zhèng) square or upright
高高低低 (gāo gāo dī dī) uneven in height
普普通通 (pǔ pǔ tōng tōng) ordinary
稀稀疏疏 (xī xi shū shū) sparse
朦朦胧胧 (méng méng lóng lóng) hazy
疯疯颠颠 (fēng fēng diān diān) crazy, deranged, erratic
昏昏沉沉 (hūn hūn chénchén) groggy, dizzy and sleepy
慌慌张张 (huāng huāng zhāng zhāng) in a hurry-scurry
恍恍惚惚 (huǎng huǎng hū hū) vaguely, confused, as if in a trance
窝窝囊囊 (wō wo nāng nāng) cowardly
舒舒服服 (shū shū fú fú) comfortable, comfortably
服服贴贴 (fú fú tiē tiē) docile and obedient
安安稳稳 (ān ān wěn wěn) safe and sound
邋邋遢遢 (lā lā tà tà) sloppy, slovenly
踏踏实实 (tà tà shí shí) down-to-earth
地地道道 (dì dì dào dao) authentic, to the core
仔仔细细 (zǐ zǐ xì xì) in great detail, thoroughly, (checking) carefully
清清楚楚 (qīng qīng chǔ chǔ) very clearly
浩浩荡荡 (hào hào dàng dàng) in a grandiose way, said of an army or a large crowd of people

Hungry for more? Here are a bunch of Chinese idioms containing duplicated characters.

气势汹汹 (qìshìxiōngxiōng) aggressive, overbearing
喜气洋洋 (xǐqìyángyáng) full of joy
洋洋大观 (yángyángdàguān) spectcular, extensive
比比皆是 (bǐ bì jiē shì) can be found everywhere, great in number
落落大方 (luòluò dàfāng) graceful, at one’s ease
多多益善 (duōduōyìshàn) the more the merrier
格格不入 (gégébùrù) not fitting in or out of place (said of people)
苦苦哀求 (kǔ kǔ āiqiú) to entreat piteously
赫赫有名 (hèhè yǒumíng) very famous, illustrious
楚楚动人 (chǔchǔ dòngrén) lovely and enchanting (said of delicate women)
卓卓有余 (zhuō zhuó yǒuyú) more than sufficient, having enough to spare
姗姗来迟 (shān shān lái chí) jokingly or sarcastically said of people who arrive late
沾沾自喜 (zhānzhānzìxǐ) to feel smug
津津有味 (jīnjīnyǒuwèi) with keen interest or with relish (as in reading a book)
津津乐道 (jīnjīn lè dào) to talk abut something with enthusiasm.
谦谦君子 (qiānqiānjūnzǐ) a modest gentleman
代代相传 (dài dài xiāngchuán) passed down from generation to generation
头头是道 (tóutóushìdào) clear and logical, well argued, making good sene
口口声声 (kǒukǒushēngshēng) saying repeatedly
家家户户 (jiājiāhùhù) each and every family

四月通常有很多雨天.
Sì yuè tōngcháng yǒu hěnduō yǔtiān.
The month of April generally offers many rainy days.

你听到外面下雨的声音了吗?
Nǐ tīng dào wàimiàn xià yǔ de shēngyīnle ma?
Do you hear the sound of rain outside?

这些自然声音已被证明有助于放松心情.
Zhèxiē zìrán shēngyīn yǐ bèi zhèngmíng yǒu zhù yú fàngsōng xīnqíng.
Such nature sounds have been shown to help relax the mind.

放松下来; 让雨声帮助你集中精力学习这些成语.
Fàngsōng xiàlái; ràng yǔ shēng bāngzhù nǐ jízhōng jīnglì xuéxí zhèxiē chéngyǔ.
Relax; let the sound of rain help you focus on studing these idioms.

Which day is Father’s Day?

In the United States and a number of other countries the second Sunday of May is designated Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day follows one month plus one week later. In Taiwan, Father’s Day is celebrated on August 8th, because 八月八日 (bāyuè bā rì) can be abbreviated as 八八 (bā bā), which sounds similar to 爸爸 (bàba father, dad).

六月的第三个星期日是父亲节.
Liùyuè de dìsān gè xīngqīrì shì Fùqin jié.
The third Sunday of June is Father’s Day.

Traditionally mothers assume all the chores of raising the kids, but the landscape has changed. Nowadays fathers are able to form a close bond with the children and earn a large share of their affection. There are also single-parent families with the father doing double-duty to provide both paternal and maternal love and care. Here is an interesting playlet “My Father”, which I think you will be able to follow with the help of the English subtitles. Following is a discussion of some of the words and expressions used in the video.

单亲家庭 (dān qīn jiātíng) is a single-parent family.

As an adjective, 单 (dān) means single, alone, only, plain or weak. As a noun it can refer to a sheet, as in 被单 (bèidān a bedsheet), a list, as in 菜单 (càidān a menu of dishes of food), or a bill, as in 账单 (zhàng dān a bill or an invoice).

作文 (zuòwén) is to write a composition on a subject assigned by the teacher. The title of the composition is called 题目 (tímù), which also means topic or examination questions on a test.

The kid in the video is to write a composition titled “My Father”. His father also happens to be his school teacher.

身材 (shēncái) is one’s stature or figure.

她的身材很苗条.
Tā de shēncái hěn miáotiao.
Her figure is quite slender and fine.

和蔼可亲 (héǎikěqīn) is commonly used to describe an amiable person. The kid describes the father he knows as nice and humorous, or 幽默 (yōumò). However, his father, being his 级任老师 (jí rèn lǎoshī home-room teacher) and a 训导老师 (xùn dǎo lǎoshī) in charge of disciplining the students, is a rather different person during school hours.

罚站 (fá zhàn) is a form of punishment often employed by teachers (and some parents). Standing in a corner and barred from the normal activities, the child is apt to feel humiliated.

相处 (xiāngchǔ) means to get along with someone.

我们相处得很好.
Wǒmén xiāngchǔ de hěn hǎo.
We get along very well.

交 (jiāo) has multiple meanings. 交功课 (jiāo gōngkè) means to hand in one’s schoolwork. If you fail to do so, you get disciplined.

人类 (rénlèi) means humankind, 灵魂 (línghún) is one’s soul, and 工程师 (gōngchéngshī) is an engineer. The kid humorously refers to teachers as 人类灵魂工程师 (rénlèi línghún gōngchéngshī), or engineers of the human soul.

自从 (zìcóng) means “since a certain time in the past”. 自小 (zì xiǎo) and 从小 (cóng xiǎo) both mean “since an early age”.

承担 (chéngdān) is to assume the responsibility of a task. 责任 (zérèn) means duty or responsibility.承担责任 (chéngdān zérèn) is to be responsible for a duty or a problem. 辅导 (fǔdào) means to give guidance to someone.

缺乏 (quēfá) means to be lacking in something.

因此 (yīncǐ) means therefore or consequently.

公司缺乏资金, 因此不容易经营.
Gōngsī quēfá zījīn, yīncǐ bù róngyì jīngyíng.
The company is short of funds, and is therefore not easy to operate.

We learned in December of 2012 that 算了. (Suàn le.) means “Never mind.”, “That’s okay.” or “Let it be.” The kid is unhappy about being punished by his own father, but then he acknowledges that he himself is partly to blame. He loves his father nonetheless.

父亲节快乐!
Fùqin jié kuàilè!
Happy Father’s Day!