Repetition & Serial Verb Patterns
Repetition and serial verb patterns express things done over and over, or in a chain. At HSK 3 this includes doubled measure words like 天天 (every day) and the pattern 一…一…地 (one by one).
In English
This point covers three ways to repeat. A measure word can be doubled to mean every one: 天天 is every day, 个个 is every single one. The pattern 一 + measure word + 一 + measure word + 地 means one by one, and it stresses doing things in turn, as in 一个一个地.
You can also repeat a verb with a measure for times, as in 一遍一遍地, to stress repetition. A verb can be doubled with 了 inside, as in 想了想, to show a short action that is already done.
一M一M 表示"一个一个地"，强调逐一/顺序，后面常加"地"作状语。
他一个一个地检查作业。(He checks the homework one by one.)
动词重叠回顾+扩展：AA/A一A(HSK2) 可加"了": A了A。
他想了想，说："我们走吧。"(He thought for a bit, then said...)
也可以跟表示次数的量词重叠，如"一遍一遍地"，强调反复。
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 他天天锻炼身体，所以身体很好。 | Tā tiān tiān duàn liàn shēn tǐ, suǒ yǐ shēn tǐ hěn hǎo. | He exercises every day, so he's very healthy. | M+M reduplication 天天 = every day. |
| 老师把作业一个一个地检查了一遍。 | Lǎo shī bǎ zuò yè yī ge yī ge de jiǎn chá le yī biàn. | The teacher checked the homework one by one. | 一M一M + 地 (one by one), combined with frequency complement 一遍. |
| 他想了想，然后回答了这个问题。 | Tā xiǎng le xiǎng, rán hòu huí dá le zhè ge wèn tí. | He thought for a moment, then answered the question. | Verb reduplication with 了 inserted (A了A), sequenced with 然后. |
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.
天天 (tiān tiān)
Means every day, from a doubled measure word.
Structure: 天天 + verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我天天坐地铁上班。 | Wǒ tiān tiān zuò dì tiě shàng bān. | I take the metro to work every day. |
| 奶奶家的小狗天天在门口等我。 | Nǎi nǎi jiā de xiǎo gǒu tiān tiān zài mén kǒu děng wǒ. | Grandma's dog waits for me at the door every day. |
| 他天天晚上看一个小时书。 | Tā tiān tiān wǎn shàng kàn yí gè xiǎo shí shū. | He reads for an hour every evening. |
Not: 我每天天去学校。 天天 already means every day, so do not add 每.
一…一…地 (yī … yī … de)
Means one by one, doing things in turn or again and again.
Structure: 一 + measure + 一 + measure + 地 + verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 孩子们一个一个地走进了教室。 | Hái zi men yí gè yí gè de zǒu jìn le jiào shì. | The children walked into the classroom one by one. |
| 他把衣服一件一件地放进箱子里。 | Tā bǎ yī fú yí jiàn yí jiàn de fàng jìn xiāng zi lǐ. | He put the clothes into the case piece by piece. |
| 老师一遍一遍地给我们讲这个词。 | Lǎo shī yí biàn yí biàn de gěi wǒ men jiǎng zhè gè cí. | The teacher explained this word to us again and again. |
Not: 他一个一个地作业检查。 The phrase comes before the verb and the object follows: 他一个一个地检查作业.
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 Repetition & Serial Verb Patterns
What does 重动词与数量重叠 (Repetition & Serial Verb Patterns) mean in Chinese?
Repetition and serial verb patterns express things done over and over, or in a chain. At HSK 3 this includes doubled measure words like 天天 (every day) and the pattern 一…一…地 (one by one). It is an HSK 3 grammar point.
How do you use 重动词与数量重叠 (Repetition & Serial Verb Patterns) in a sentence?
他天天锻炼身体，所以身体很好。 — Tā tiān tiān duàn liàn shēn tǐ, suǒ yǐ shēn tǐ hěn hǎo. — He exercises every day, so he's very healthy. M+M reduplication 天天 = every day.
What do you need to know before 重动词与数量重叠 (Repetition & Serial Verb Patterns)?
Duration & Frequency Complements (HSK 3), New Classifiers (HSK 3), Verb Reduplication (HSK 2). 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 say "thought for a moment" in Chinese?
Double the verb with 了 between: 想了想. For example 他想了想，说“好吧” means he thought for a moment and said okay.
Can I double any measure word?
Many, as in 个个 for every single one and 天天 for every day. The doubled form means "each", so 个个都很好 says each one is good.
Repetition & Serial Verb 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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