Reduplication of Verbs in Chinese 1

Grammar Point:
Chinese reduplication of verbs is a linguistic feature in which a verb is repeated to indicate the softening, tentativeness, or brevity of an action. It is commonly used in spoken Mandarin Chinese and some other Chinese dialects.

Structure

V (一) V

It will make your tones more casual and friendly especially when it is a request or command, and it suggests that this action is an attempt or easy to accomplish.

你nǐ做zuò的de菜cài真zhēn好吃hǎochī， 請qǐng教教jiāojiāo我wǒ你nǐ做zuò的de菜cài真zhēn好吃hǎochī， 请qǐng教教jiāojiao我wǒ
The dishes you make are delicious! Please teach me.

聽說tīngshuō夜市yèshì有yǒu很hěn多duō好吃hǎochī的de， 你nǐ可以kěyǐ帶dài我wǒ去qù看一看kànyíkàn嗎ma？ 听说tīngshuō夜市yèshì有yǒu很hěn多duō好吃hǎochī的de， 你nǐ可以kěyǐ带dài我wǒ去qù看一看kànyíkàn吗ma？
I heard there are many delicious foods at the night market. Can you take me to have a look?

想xiǎng不想bùxiǎng到dào北京běijīng去qù玩一玩wányìwán？ 想xiǎng不想bùxiǎng到dào北京běijīng去qù玩一玩wányìwán？
Do you want to go to Beijing for a visit?

好久不見hǎojiǔbújiàn， 快kuài說說shuōshuō你nǐ最近zuìjìn過guò得de怎麼樣zěnmeyàng了le好久不见hǎojiǔbújiàn， 快kuài说说shuōshuo你nǐ最近zuìjìn过guò得de怎么样zěnmeyàng了le
Long time no see! Tell me how you’ve been recently.

我wǒ需要xūyào一點yìdiǎn時間shíjiān想一想xiǎngyìxiǎng我wǒ需要xūyào一点儿yìdiǎnr时间shíjiān想一想xiǎngyìxiǎng
I need some time to think.

我wǒ週末zhōumò常常chángcháng在zài家jiā看看kànkàn電視diànshì、 上上shàngshàng網wǎng我wǒ周末zhōumò常常chángcháng在zài家jiā看看kànkan电视diànshì、 上上shàngshang网wǎng
I often stay at home on weekends, watching TV and browsing the internet.
(This one indicates that the action is done casually)

Note: When there’s no 一 yī, the second verb’s tone changes to the neutral tone in China, but not in Taiwan.

V 了 V

It indicates the action was done briefly.

我wǒ上次shàngcì試了試shìleshì那nà雙shuāng鞋子xiézi， 很hěn舒服shūfú我wǒ上次shàngcì试了试shìleshì那nà双shuāng鞋xié， 很hěn舒服shūfu
I tried on those shoes the other day, and they are very comfortable.

她tā想了想xiǎnglexiǎng還是háishì決定juédìng不bù買mǎi了le她tā想了想xiǎnglexiǎng还是háishì决定juédìng不bù买mǎi了le
She thought about it but decided not to buy it in the end.

面試miànshì的de時間shíjiān太tài短duǎn， 我wǒ只zhǐ說了說shuōleshuō我的wǒde經驗jīngyàn， 還沒háiméi說shuō想法xiǎngfǎ面试miànshì的de时间shíjiān太tài短duǎn， 我wǒ只zhǐ说了说shuōleshuō我的wǒde经验jīngyàn， 还没háiméi说shuō想法xiǎngfǎ
The interview time was too short; I only talked about my experience and didn’t mention my thoughts.

最近zuìjìn公司gōngsī太tài忙máng， 她tā昨天zuótiān吃了吃chīlechī飯fàn就jiù去qù睡shuì了le最近zuìjìn公司gōngsī太tài忙máng， 她tā昨天zuótiān吃了吃chīlechī饭fàn就jiù去qù睡shuì了le
The company has been very busy lately, and she went to bed right after grabbing dinner yesterday.

你nǐ要yào開始kāishǐ打dǎ高爾夫gāoěrfū？ 是不是shìbúshì上次shàngcì打了打dǎledǎ有yǒu興趣xīngqù了le？ 你nǐ要yào开始kāishǐ打dǎ高尔夫gāoěrfū？ 是不是shìbúshì上次shàngcì打了打dǎledǎ有yǒu兴趣xīngqù了le？
Are you starting to play golf? Are you interested in it after playing it last time?
(To make a question form, you always need to use 是不是 shìbúshì.)

V 一下

It indicates the action is briefly and tentatively.

你nǐ可以kěyǐ幫bāng我wǒ翻譯fānyì一下yíxià嗎ma？ 你nǐ可以kěyǐ帮bāng我wǒ翻译fānyì一下yíxià吗ma？
Can you help me with the translation, please?

我wǒ吃一下chīyíxià， 你nǐ鹽yán放fàng得de太tài多duō了le我wǒ吃一下chīyíxià， 你nǐ盐yán放fàng得de太tài多duō了le
Let me taste it; you add too much salt.

我wǒ不會búhuì喝hē太tài多duō， 喝一下hēyíxià就jiù回家huíjiā我wǒ不会búhuì喝hē太tài多duō， 喝一下hēyíxià就jiù回家huíjiā
I won’t drink too much; just have a little and then go home.

請qǐng你nǐ寫一下xiěyíxià你的nǐde名字míngzi请qǐng你nǐ写一下xiěyíxià你的nǐde名字míngzi
Please write down your name.

快kuài說一下shuōyíxià， 發生fāshēng什麼shénme事shì了le快kuài说一下shuōyíxià， 发生fāshēng什么shénme事shì了le
Quickly tell me, what happened?

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ I looked through your report, and there are a few issues.

我wǒ看了看kànlekàn你的nǐde報告bàogào， 有yǒu一些yìxiē問題wèntí我wǒ看了看kànlekan你的nǐde报告bàogào， 有yǒu一些yìxiē问题wèntí

✔️ Could you please take a quick look at my report for me?

你nǐ可以kěyǐ簡單jiǎndān幫bāng我wǒ看一下kànyíxià我的wǒde報告bàogào嗎ma你nǐ可以kěyǐ简单jiǎndān帮bāng我wǒ看一下kànyíxià我的wǒde报告bàogào吗ma

✔️ I will take see some reports and have some meetings, then I will get off work.

我wǒ看看kànkàn報告bàogào、 開開kāikāi會huì就jiù下班xiàbān了le我wǒ看看kànkan报告bàogào、 开开kāikai会huì就jiù下班xiàbān了le

• Reduplication of Verbs 2 – ABAB (HSK 3)