The reduplication

In Chinese, verbs, measure words, nouns and adjectives can be subject to reduplication. When reduplicated, verbs are weakened and they lose part of their intensity. The action is seen as short or performed less decisively. The predicative adjectives, as to say those adjectives which imply a verbal meaning, are reduplicated according to the structure AABB; dissyllabic action verbs according to the structure ABAB and between the reduplication of monosyllabic action verbs, the character 一 (yī) “one” can be inserted.

从今以后，我希望你快快乐乐的。
cóng jīn yǐhòu, wǒ xīwàng nǐ kuài kuàilè lè de
[from today onwards I to-hope you happy-happy ST]
From now on, I hope you will be happy.

大学的事情，我还要考虑考虑。
dàxué de shìqíng, wǒ hái yào kǎolǜ kǎolǜ
[university ST thing I still to-have-to to-think-over]
I still have to think a little about the university matter.

你听一听这首歌。
nǐ tīng yī tīng zhè shǒu gē
[you to-listen a-while to-listen this QU song]
Listen a while to this song.

Measure words can be reduplicated in three different ways. The simple reduplication AA acquires a generic value and the measure word is followed by the adverb 都 (dōu) “all”. The measure word reduplicated in this way is translated as “every, each”. When the reduplication takes the form of ABAB acquires a distributive value and is followed by 的 (de), in case of a name or by 地 (de), in case of a verb. The third type of reduplication is the complex reduplication ABCABC, generally followed by 地 (de) + verb, which emphasizes the distributive value.

这位作者的本本小说都很好看。
zhè wèi zuòzhě de běnběn xiǎoshuō dōu hěn hǎokàn
[this QU writer ST QU-QU novel all INT good-to-read]
All the novels of this writer are very good.

他们一个一个地进入教室。
tāmen yīgè yīgè de jìnrù jiàoshì
[they one QU one QU ST to-enter classroom]
They enter the classroom one by one.

她一个词一个词地翻译了这个文本。
tā yīgè cí yīgè cí de fānyìle zhège wénběn
[she one QU word one QU word ST to-translate ASP this QU text]
She tranlasted this text word by word.

Also some monosyllabic nouns and adjectives can be reduplicated. The reduplication of nouns acquires generic value, while that of the adjectives emphasizes their meaning.

我天天学习中文。
wǒ tiāntiān xuéxí zhōngwén
[I day-day to-study Chinese]
I study Chinese every day.

她有黑黑的头发。
tā yǒu hēi hēi de tóufǎ
[she to-have black-black ST hair]
She has very black hair.

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