Table of Contents

Grammar Point

Reduplicated Adjectives: AA的 & AABB的

In Chinese you can say an adjective twice to make it stronger, a bit like adding 很 hěn. But it does more than that: it shows how you feel about something, not just the plain facts. That’s why you hear it a lot when people praise or complain, tell stories, or talk to little kids.

一 One Syllable: AA的

A + A + 的

For a one-syllable adjective, say it twice and add 的 de. Use it after the subject to describe something, or put it in front of a noun.

这个zhège糖táng甜甜的tiántián de，真zhēn好吃hǎochī

This candy is so sweet and yummy.

我wǒ喜欢xǐhuan高高瘦瘦的gāogāo shòushòu de男生nánshēng

I like tall, slim guys.

Two AA adjectives can be joined together, like 高高 gāogāo + 瘦瘦 shòushòu.

我的wǒde狗gǒu胖胖的pàngpàng de，腿tuǐ短短的duǎnduǎn de

My dog is chubby, with short little legs.

巫婆wūpó拿出了náchūle红红的hónghóng de苹果píngguǒ给gěi白雪公主Báixuě Gōngzhǔ

The witch took out a bright red apple for Snow White.

Storytellers love this pattern: it paints a vivid picture.

告诉gàosu妈妈māma，小小的xiǎoxiǎo de狗狗gǒugou在zài哪里nǎlǐ？

Tell Mommy, where’s the little doggy?

Talking to little onesNotice 狗狗 gǒugou in the last example? When adults talk to little kids, they double nouns too: 狗狗 gǒugou (doggy), 车车 chēchē (car), 睡觉觉 shuìjiàojiào (time for bed). It sounds soft and cute, just like “doggy” or “night-night” in English.

二 Two Syllables: AABB的

A + A + B + B + 的 (+ Noun)

For a two-syllable adjective AB, double each syllable to get AABB, then add 的 de. Like AA的, it can describe the subject or go in front of a noun.

加拿大人Jiānádà rén一直yìzhí都dōu是shì客客气气的kèkèqìqì de吗ma？

Are Canadians always so polite?

轻轻松松的qīngqīngsōngsōng de工作gōngzuò很hěn难nán找zhǎo

A nice, easy job is hard to find.

灰姑娘Huīgūniang的de姐姐jiějie每天měitiān都dōu穿得chuān de漂漂亮亮的piàopiàoliàngliàng de

Cinderella’s sisters dress up beautifully every day.

我wǒ只zhǐ想xiǎng过guò平平稳稳的píngpíngwěnwěn de生活shēnghuó

I just want to live a calm, steady life.

干干净净的gāngānjìngjìng de二手包èrshǒu bāo才cái能néng卖mài好hǎo价钱jiàqián

Only nice, clean secondhand bags sell for a good price.

三 Describing Actions: AABB地 + Verb

A + A + B + B + 地 + Verb

Put AABB in front of a verb with 地 de (also pronounced de) to describe how someone does something.

我们wǒmen今天jīntiān就jiù舒舒服服地shūshūfúfú de躺tǎng在zài家jiā看kàn电视diànshì吧ba

Let’s just lie around at home and watch TV all nice and comfy today.

所有suǒyǒu的de书shū都dōu整整齐齐地zhěngzhěngqíqí de放fàng在zài书柜shūguì里li

All the books are neatly lined up in the bookcase.

她tā坐zuò在zài长椅chángyǐ上shàng，安安静静地ānānjìngjìng de看着kànzhe书shū

She sat on the bench, quietly reading a book.

请qǐng你nǐ认认真真地rènrènzhēnzhēn de回答huídá我wǒ

Please answer me seriously.

从此以后cóngcǐ yǐhòu，王子wángzǐ就jiù和hé公主gōngzhǔ快快乐乐地kuàikuàilèlè de生活shēnghuó在zài一起yìqǐ

And from then on, the prince and princess lived happily together.

四 Common Mistakes

❌ 你nǐ家jiā真的zhēnde很hěn乾乾淨淨的gāngānjìngjìng de干干净净的gāngānjìngjìng de

✅ 你nǐ家jiā真的zhēnde乾乾淨淨的gāngānjìngjìng de干干净净的gāngānjìngjìng de

Doubling already makes the adjective stronger, so don’t add 很 hěn or 非常 fēicháng in front of it.

❌ 給gěi给gěi我wǒ一杯yìbēi大大的dàdà de咖啡kāfēi

✅ 給gěi给gěi我wǒ一杯yìbēi大杯dàbēi的de咖啡kāfēi

A large size is just a fact, not a feeling. Reduplication is for how you feel about something.

❌ 這個zhège这个zhège水果shuǐguǒ甜甜tiántián

✅ 這個zhège这个zhège水果shuǐguǒ甜甜的tiántián de

Don’t forget the 的 de at the end!

❌ 你nǐ每天měitiān都dōu快樂快樂kuàilè kuàilè快乐快乐kuàilè kuàilè嗎ma吗ma？

✅ 你nǐ每天měitiān都dōu快快樂樂的kuàikuàilèlè de快快乐乐的kuàikuàilèlè de嗎ma吗ma？

Two-syllable adjectives double as AABB, not ABAB. (ABAB is how verbs double, as in 討論討論 tǎolùn tǎolùn讨论讨论 tǎolùn tǎolùn.)

五 Not All Adjectives Can Be Doubled

Not every adjective can be doubled. For some, it just sounds strange or doesn’t make sense. Is there a rule? Sadly, no: you just have to remember them. Here are some common adjectives that cannot be reduplicated:

贵 guìexpensive

便宜 piányicheap

近 jìnnear

远 yuǎnfar

新 xīnnew

多 duōmany

忙 mángbusy

累 lèitired

无聊 wúliáobored

不错 búcuònot bad

喜欢 xǐhuanlike

讨厌 tǎoyànhate

有名 yǒumíngfamous

方便 fāngbiànconvenient

好吃 hǎochīdelicious

复杂 fùzácomplicated

美丽 měilìbeautiful

强 qiángstrong

年轻 niánqīngyoung

难 nándifficult

容易 róngyìeasy

有趣 yǒuqùinteresting

紧张 jǐnzhāngnervous

难过 nánguòsad

六 Practice

Tap the words below in the right order to build the sentence, then check your answer. If it’s wrong, you can try again as many times as you like, or hit “Show answer” if you get stuck. Careful: some tiles are traps and are not needed!

Question 1 of 10

“Her face is round. So cute!”