HSK 3 Adjectives
AABB
Reduplicating adjectives (AABB)
Structure AB → AABB (干净 → 干干净净)
A two-syllable adjective (AB) can be doubled to AABB for vividness and a fond or intensified nuance: 干净 → 干干净净 ("nice and clean"), 高兴 → 高高兴兴 ("really happy"). They often take 的 (as a modifier) or 地 (before the verb). It paints a livelier picture than the bare adjective.
Examples
- 房间干干净净的。
The room is nice and clean.
- 他高高兴兴地回家了。
He went home happy as could be.
- 她穿得漂漂亮亮的。
She’s dressed up all pretty.
This point and the other 370, with audio on every example, inside Wanyu.
Coming soon to the App Store and Google Play