Reduplication of Chinese Adjectives

Grammar Point:
Reduplication of Chinese adjectives intensify the tone of a statement, similar to the way 很 hěn functions as an intensifier. It reflects the speaker’s subjective feelings rather than objective, factual observation.

Structure

This structure is commonly used in spoken and written Chinese to emphasize a quality or add a sense of lightness, casualness, or emphasis to a description, such as in praise, criticism, baby talk, or storytelling.

AA的 – one-syllable adjectives

這zhè個ge糖táng甜甜的tiántiánde， 真zhēn好吃hǎochī这zhè个ge糖táng甜甜的tiántiánde， 真zhēn好吃hǎochī
This candy tastes sweet and delicious.

我wǒ喜歡xǐhuān高高gāogāo瘦瘦的shòushòude男生nánshēng我wǒ喜欢xǐhuan高高gāogāo瘦瘦的shòushòude男生nánshēng
I like tall and slim guys.

我的wǒde狗gǒu胖胖的pàngpàngde， 腿tuǐ短短的duǎnduǎnde我的wǒde狗gǒu胖胖的pàngpàngde， 腿tuǐ短短的duǎnduǎnde
My dog is chubby with short legs.

巫婆wūpó拿ná出chū了le紅紅的hónghóngde蘋果pínguǒ給gěi白雪公主báixuěgōngzhǔ巫婆wūpó拿ná出chū了le红红的hónghóngde苹果píngguǒ给gěi白雪公主báixuěgōngzhǔ
The witch took out a red apple for Snow White.

告訴gàosù媽媽māma， 小小xiǎoxiǎo的de狗狗gǒugǒu在zài哪裡nǎlǐ？ 告诉gàosu妈妈māma， 小小xiǎoxiǎo的de狗狗gǒugǒu在zài哪里nǎlǐ？
Tell mommy, where is the little dog?

AABB的 (+ N) – two-syllable adjectives

加拿大jiānádà人rén一直yìzhí都dōu是shì客客氣氣的kèkèqìqìde嗎ma？ 加拿大jiānádà人rén一直yìzhí都dōu是shì客客气气的kèkèqìqìde吗ma？
Are Canadians always very polite?

輕輕鬆鬆的qīngqīngsōngsōngde工作gōngzuò很hěn難nán找zhǎo轻轻松松的qīngqīngsōngsōngde工作gōngzuò很hěn难nán找zhǎo
It’s difficult to find an easygoing job.

灰姑娘huīgūniáng的de姐姐jiějie每天měitiān都dōu穿chuān得de漂漂亮亮的piāopiāoliàngliàngde灰姑娘huīgūniáng的de姐姐jiějie每天měitiān都dōu穿chuān得de漂漂亮亮的piāopiāoliangliangde
Cinderella’s sister dresses beautifully every day.

我wǒ只zhǐ想xiǎng過guò平平穩穩的píngpíngwěnwěnde生活shēnghuó我wǒ只zhǐ想xiǎng过guò平平稳稳的píngpíngwěnwěnde生活shēnghuó
I just want to live a steady life.

乾乾淨淨的gāngānjìngjìngde二手包èrshǒubāo才cái能néng賣mài好hǎo價錢jiàqián干干净净的gāngānjìngjìngde二手包èrshǒubāo才cái能néng卖mài好hǎo价钱jiàqián
Only clean second-hand bags can sell for a good price.

AABB地 + V – two-syllable adjectives

我們wǒmen今天jīntiān就jiù舒舒服服地shūshūfúfúde躺tǎng在zài家jiā看kàn電視diànshì吧ba我们wǒmen今天jīntiān就jiù舒舒服服地shūshūfufude躺tǎng在zài家jiā看kàn电视diànshì吧ba
We will just relax at home and watch TV comfortably today.

所有suǒyǒu的de書shū都dōu整整齊齊地zhěngzhěngqíqíde放fàng在zài書櫃shūguì裡lǐ所有suǒyǒu的de书shū都dōu整整齐齐地zhěngzhěngqíqíde放fàng在zài书柜shūguì里lǐ
All the books are neatly placed in the bookcase.

她tā坐zuò在zài長椅chángyǐ上shàng， 安安靜靜地ānānjìngjìngde看kàn著zhù書shū她tā坐zuò在zài长椅chángyǐ上shàng， 安安静静地ānānjìngjìngde看kàn着zhe书shū
She sat on the bench, quietly reading a book.

請qǐng你nǐ認認真真地rènrènzhēnzhēnde回答huídá我wǒ请qǐng你nǐ认认真真地rènrènzhēnzhēnde回答huídá我wǒ
Please answer me seriously.

從此cóngcǐ以後yǐhòu， 王子wángzǐ就jiù和hé公主gōngzhǔ快快樂樂地kuàikuàilèlède生活shēnghuó在zài一起yìqǐ从此cóngcǐ以后yǐhòu， 王子wángzǐ就jiù和hé公主gōngzhǔ快快乐乐地kuàikuàilèlède生活shēnghuó在zài一起yìqǐ
From then on, the prince and princess lived happily together.

Common Mistakes

你nǐ家jiā真的zhēnde很hěn乾乾淨淨gāngānjìngjìng的de你nǐ家jiā真的zhēnde很hěn干干净净gāngānjìngjìng的de ❌
(Do not add any intensify adverb in front of the adjectives.)

給gěi我wǒ一yì杯bēi大大dàdà的de咖啡kāfēi给gěi我wǒ一yì杯bēi大大dàdà的de咖啡kāfēi ❌
(Large size in not a subjective feelings, it’s a fact.)

這zhè個ge水果shuǐguǒ甜甜tiántián这zhè个ge水果shuǐguǒ甜甜tiántián ❌
(Missing 的 de.)

你nǐ每天měitiān都dōu快樂快樂kuàilèkuàilè嗎ma？ 你nǐ每天měitiān都dōu快乐快乐kuàilèkuàilè吗ma？ ❌
(Wrong structure.)

Not all adjectives can be reduplicated

It’s important to note that not all adjectives are suitable for reduplication in Chinese, and attempting to reduplicate some adjectives might not result in a meaningful expression or could be grammatically incorrect. And how can you know which ones can be reduplicated? You can only remember them.

Here are some common adjectives that cannot be reduplicated: