Adjective Reduplication: AA, AABB
Adjective reduplication repeats an adjective to make it more vivid or affectionate. A one-syllable adjective becomes AA, as in 慢慢, and a two-syllable one becomes AABB, as in 高高兴兴.
Monosyllabic AA (单音节):
慢→慢慢, 快→快快, 好→好好, 大→大大
Disyllabic AABB (双音节):
高兴→高高兴兴, 漂亮→漂漂亮亮, 干净→干干净净
Uses:
- Adverbial (verb modifier): 慢慢走 (walk slowly and steadily); 高高兴兴地唱歌
- Attributive (noun modifier): 干干净净的房间; 漂漂亮亮的衣服
AA forms often drop the second tone mark in speech (2nd syllable becomes neutral), but written pinyin keeps the original tone. AABB forms typically add 地 before a verb.
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 你慢慢吃，不用着急。 | Nǐ màn màn chī, bù yòng zháo jí. | Eat slowly, no need to rush. | 慢慢 (AA) used adverbially before verb 吃; conveys gentle, unhurried manner |
| 她高高兴兴地去上学了。 | Tā gāo gāo xìng xìng de qù shàng xué le. | She went to school happily. | 高高兴兴 (AABB) + 地 before verb phrase; expresses a vivid, complete sense of happiness |
| 妈妈把房间打扫得干干净净的。 | Mā ma bǎ fáng jiān dǎ sǎo de gān gān jìng jìng de. | Mom cleaned the room until it was spotlessly clean. | 干干净净 (AABB) used as a result complement after 得; attributive/predicate use |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
慢慢 (màn màn)
Doubles a one-syllable adjective to make the action sound gentle and steady.
Structure: Adj + Adj (+ 地) + verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 请你慢慢说，我听不太懂。 | Qǐng nǐ màn màn shuō, wǒ tīng bú tài dǒng. | Please speak slowly, I do not understand very well. |
| 他慢慢地走进了教室。 | Tā màn màn de zǒu jìn le jiào shì. | He walked into the classroom slowly. |
| 天气慢慢热起来了。 | Tiān qì màn màn rè qǐ lái le. | The weather is slowly getting hot. |
Not: 她很慢慢地走。 A doubled adjective already carries its own degree, so 很 does not go in front of it.
高高兴兴 (gāo gāo xìng xìng)
Doubles a two-syllable adjective in the AABB shape to describe a cheerful, complete state.
Structure: AABB + 地 + verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我们高高兴兴地过了一个周末。 | Wǒ men gāo gāo xìng xìng de guò le yí gè zhōu mò. | We spent a happy weekend. |
| 爸爸高高兴兴地买了一条鱼。 | Bà ba gāo gāo xìng xìng de mǎi le yì tiáo yú. | Dad happily bought a fish. |
| 你们高高兴兴地去玩吧。 | Nǐ men gāo gāo xìng xìng de qù wán ba. | Go and have a good time, all of you. |
Not: 她高兴高兴地唱歌。 A two-syllable adjective is doubled as AABB (高高兴兴), not ABAB; ABAB belongs to verbs.
What you need first
Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.
Questions about Adjective Reduplication
What does 形容词重叠 (Adjective Reduplication) mean in Chinese?
Adjective reduplication repeats an adjective to make it more vivid or affectionate. A one-syllable adjective becomes AA, as in 慢慢, and a two-syllable one becomes AABB, as in 高高兴兴. It is an HSK 2 grammar point.
How do you use 形容词重叠 (Adjective Reduplication) in a sentence?
你慢慢吃，不用着急。 — Nǐ màn màn chī, bù yòng zháo jí. — Eat slowly, no need to rush. 慢慢 (AA) used adverbially before verb 吃; conveys gentle, unhurried manner.
What do you need to know before 形容词重叠 (Adjective Reduplication)?
Adjective Predicate Sentences (HSK 1). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.
Can I double any adjective in Chinese?
No. Most common one-syllable adjectives such as 大, 小, 快 and 好 can be doubled, but many cannot, and some fixed ones sound odd. A doubled form usually sounds warmer, as in 她的眼睛大大的。
Do I need 地 after an AABB adjective?
Yes, when it describes a verb. 地 links the adjective to the verb, as in 孩子们开开心心地回家了。 Before a noun you use 的 instead.
Adjective Reduplication is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
Start at your true level