Reduplication Patterns: A来A去、A着A着

Q: How do you use 四字格 (Reduplication Patterns) in a sentence?

他在办公室里走来走去，好像很着急。 — Tā zài bàn gōng shì lǐ zǒu lái zǒu qù, hǎo xiàng hěn zháo jí. — He paced back and forth in the office, as if very anxious. A来A去 (走来走去) shows repetitive, directionless motion, matching an anxious mood.

Chinese grammar · HSK 5 · 四字格 · By Carson 木林森 · Updated October 2026

Reduplication patterns repeat a verb inside a set frame to show repeated action. A来A去 (想来想去) means back and forth many times, while A着A着 (说着说着) means while doing A, something suddenly changes.

来 lái to come 去 qù to go 着 zhe (particle: action or state continuing) 有 yǒu to have; there is

In English

These are three four-character patterns built on repetition. A来A去 repeats a verb to show an action going back and forth, with a hint that nothing is settled, as in 想来想去 or 走来走去. A着A着 repeats a verb with 着 to describe an action in progress, and a sudden new event follows: 走着走着，天下雨了.

有A有B joins two related words to say that both are present, as in 有说有笑. Each is a fixed shape, so keep the repeated words identical.

A来A去 — 动词重复，中间加'来…去'，表示来回反复做某事，常带'没有结果/没有进展'的语气：想来想去、说来说去、走来走去。
✅ 他想来想去，还是决定辞职。

A着A着 — 动词重叠后加'着'，表示'正在做A的过程中，突然发生了变化/事情'：走着走着、想着想着、看着看着。后面通常接一个突发的新情况。
✅ 走着走着，天突然下起雨来。

有A有B — 固定格式，'有'+两个相关的词，表示同时具备两种情况，多含生动/褒义色彩：有说有笑、有商有量、有始有终。
✅ 他们一路上有说有笑，气氛很轻松。

Worked examples

Chinese	Pinyin	English	What it shows
他在办公室里走来走去，好像很着急。	Tā zài bàn gōng shì lǐ zǒu lái zǒu qù, hǎo xiàng hěn zháo jí.	He paced back and forth in the office, as if very anxious.	A来A去 (走来走去) shows repetitive, directionless motion, matching an anxious mood.
看着看着，她突然哭了起来。	Kàn zhe kàn zhe, tā tū rán kū le qǐ lái.	As she kept watching, she suddenly started crying.	A着A着 (看着看着) frames the ongoing action, then introduces the sudden new event that interrupts it (突然哭了).
他们一路上有说有笑，聊得很开心。	Tā men yī lù shàng yǒu shuō yǒu xiào, liáo de hěn kāi xīn.	They chatted and laughed the whole way, having a great time.	有A有B (有说有笑) is a fixed vivid expression meaning 'both talking and laughing', describing a lively, cheerful scene.

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.

A来A去 (A lái A qù)

Repeats a verb to show back-and-forth action, often with no result.

Structure: verb + 来 + same verb + 去

Chinese	Pinyin	English
他在商店里看来看去，什么也没买。	Tā zài shāng diàn lǐ kàn lái kàn qù, shén me yě méi mǎi.	He looked around the shop again and again and bought nothing.
孩子们在院子里跑来跑去，玩得很开心。	Hái zi men zài yuàn zi lǐ pǎo lái pǎo qù, wán de hěn kāi xīn.	The children ran around in the yard, having a great time.
你说来说去，还是没说到重点。	Nǐ shuō lái shuō qù, hái shì méi shuō dào zhòng diǎn.	You keep going on and on, and still have not got to the point.

Not: ~~他走来去走。~~ The same verb goes on both sides: 走来走去。

In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 5, set phrases (四字格).

A着A着 (A zhe A zhe)

Repeats a verb with 着 to show an action in progress, when something new suddenly happens.

Structure: verb + 着 + same verb + 着，new situation

Chinese	Pinyin	English
孩子听着听着，就睡着了。	Hái zi tīng zhe tīng zhe, jiù shuì zháo le.	The child listened and listened and then fell asleep.
我们聊着聊着，发现已经半夜了。	Wǒ men liáo zhe liáo zhe, fā xiàn yǐ jīng bàn yè le.	As we chatted, we found it was already midnight.
她吃着吃着，突然想起忘了关火。	Tā chī zhe chī zhe, tū rán xiǎng qǐ wàng le guān huǒ.	Halfway through eating, she suddenly remembered she had left the stove on.

Not: ~~走着走着，我一直在路上。~~ A着A着 needs a new, unexpected event after it. A steady state does not fit.

In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 5, set phrases (四字格).

有A有B (yǒu A yǒu B)

Joins two related words to show that both things are present.

Structure: 有 + A + 有 + B

Chinese	Pinyin	English
这家饭店的菜有荤有素，大家都能找到喜欢的。	Zhè jiā fàn diàn de cài yǒu hūn yǒu sù, dà jiā dōu néng zhǎo dào xǐ huān de.	This restaurant has both meat and vegetarian dishes, so everyone finds something they like.
他的话有理有据，没人能反驳。	Tā de huà yǒu lǐ yǒu jù, méi rén néng fǎn bó.	His words have reason and evidence behind them, and nobody can refute him.
他做事有头有尾，从不半途而废。	Tā zuò shì yǒu tóu yǒu wěi, cóng bú bàn tú ér fèi.	He finishes whatever he starts and never gives up halfway.

Not: ~~他有说笑。~~ Each part takes its own 有: 他有说有笑。

In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 4, set phrases (四字格).

Produce this pattern without stopping to think about it. GraphChinese drills Reduplication Patterns across 13 exercises and schedules the review that keeps it.

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 Reduplication Patterns

What does 四字格 (Reduplication Patterns) mean in Chinese?

How do you use 四字格 (Reduplication Patterns) in a sentence?

他在办公室里走来走去，好像很着急。 — Tā zài bàn gōng shì lǐ zǒu lái zǒu qù, hǎo xiàng hěn zháo jí. — He paced back and forth in the office, as if very anxious. A来A去 (走来走去) shows repetitive, directionless motion, matching an anxious mood.

What do you need to know before 四字格 (Reduplication Patterns)?

着 (HSK 4), Separable verbs 离合词 (HSK 4). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.

How do I use A着A着?

Repeat the verb with 着 and then name something that suddenly happens: 看着看着，他笑了起来。 It does not describe a steady state.

Can I use any verb in A来A去?

Mostly verbs of movement, thought and speech: 走来走去, 想来想去, 找来找去. The pattern tells you the action went back and forth, often with no result.

Reduplication Patterns 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.

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