FinalFan18 Posted October 23, 2009 at 06:50 PM Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 at 06:50 PM In written Mandarin, do they often repeat the same character to emphasize the meaning? For example, I've seen subtitles that say: 你试试 for 'you try'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sakigake Posted October 24, 2009 at 06:31 AM Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 at 06:31 AM As far i know, repeating a charachter could mean: 1)that the action is quick, in a short time. or 2) an attempt, a try. however, about the attempt my teacher said me that the verbs that have only 1 syllabe you must add 看 at the end, and the ones of more syllabes only repeat the verb. example 去/ 去去看 知道/ 知道知道。 我去去你家。i go (a short time) to your house. 我可以试试看这双鞋字码？ can i try this pair of socks? Anyway, it would be good if someone can point this too to confirm it well. pd sorry if my english is not very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HashiriKata Posted October 24, 2009 at 08:50 AM Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 at 08:50 AM Anyway, it would be good if someone can point this too to confirm it well. Most of what you said seems ok to me, but I'm a bit not sure of your example: 我可以试试看这双鞋字码？ can i try this pair of socks? I'd probably say it in the following ways: 我可以试试这双袜子吗？(If you want to try on the socks) 我可以看看这双袜子吗？(If you only want them to let you have a look) Also, by "这双鞋字码?" do you mean "这双鞋子吗?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members rlf1286 Posted October 24, 2009 at 08:56 AM New Members Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 at 08:56 AM It's definitely true that a lot of Chinese phrases repeat characters twice in a row: 一般般 yibanban and 马马虎虎 mamahuhu roughly equal "so so" / "not bad" / or "alright" The Chinese also often repeat 好hao for emphasis, like in the saying 好好学习 天天向上, meaning that if you study hard you'll improve everyday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lugubert Posted October 24, 2009 at 11:24 AM Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 at 11:24 AM How often do you hear a single 请坐 or 请进 for please sit down/please come in? A single 请进 might be displayed on a shop front door, but my understanding is that oral repetition (请坐, 请坐) is used to emphasize sincerity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renzhe Posted October 24, 2009 at 02:55 PM Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 at 02:55 PM It's a bit more complicated than just repeating characters. Repeating verbs is not the same thing as repeating adverbs or adjectives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sakigake Posted October 24, 2009 at 06:38 PM Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 at 06:38 PM Also, by "这双鞋字码?" do you mean "这双鞋子吗?" haha, yes, im sorry, i didn´t realize there was a wrong character there, i though the ime would put it correctly. 我可以试试看这双鞋字码？ can i try this pair of socks? About this, my chinese book have that same example and explains that. then, in the grammatical explanation, it says you must add "看" 。 when i questioned my teacher about that, she explained me all as the same i put in the other post, so i don' t know. this is what i have in the book: -我要买一双蓝色的鞋子。 -这双好吗? -我可以试试看吗？ -没有问题。 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HashiriKata Posted October 24, 2009 at 07:49 PM Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 at 07:49 PM haha, yes, im sorry, i didn´t realize there was a wrong character there No problems, but remember, "鞋子" is "shoes", not "socks" (I already gave the word for "socks" in my earlier examples). 我可以试试看吗？No problems either with or without 看 in this type of sentences, just like we'd say it in English: "Can I try it on (and see)?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sakigake Posted October 24, 2009 at 09:06 PM Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 at 09:06 PM No problems, but remember, "鞋子" is "shoes", not "socks" my bad, i mistook it with wazi Then, thank you for the corrections and explanation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pipas Posted October 25, 2009 at 02:27 PM Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 at 02:27 PM (edited) Quote: No problems, but remember, "鞋子" is "shoes", not "socks" my bad, i mistook it with wazi Funny))) There's a mnemonic code made by Chinese learners of Russian: 袜子搁鞋里 - for the word "воскресенье" (sunday). That's why I never mix these two up Edited October 25, 2009 at 02:39 PM by Pipas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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