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plCommon errors
The possible mistakes learners might make when using adjective reduplication are listed as follows.
1. Syntactic error
1.1 Misuse of adjectives which cannot be reduplicated
Only a small portion of adjectives in Chinese (around 15–20%) can be naturally reduplicated, and over 90% of them belong to colloquial vocabulary. Learners may reduplicate adjectives that cannot be reduplicated. Teachers should remind students that this is a highly selective and idiomatic pattern.
*孩子们过了一个愉愉快快的周末。
孩子们过了一个开开心心的周末。
孩子们过了一个很愉快的周末。
*孩子們過了一個愉愉快快的週末。
孩子們過了一個開開心心的週末。
孩子們過了一個很愉快的週末。
1.2 Misuse adjective reduplication in the bǐ 比 construction
The combination of adjective reduplication and the bǐ 比 construction is ungrammatical because adjectives in bǐ 比 constructions are informative and judgmental, while reduplication is descriptive.
*他的房间比我的大大的。
他的房间比我大。
*他的房間比我的大大的。
他的房間比我大。
1.3 Addition of degree adverbs after adjective reduplication
Learners may add degree adverbs such as hěn 很 or fēicháng 非常 before reduplicated adjectives, or expressions such as jí le 极了/極了 and de hěn 得很 after them. Instructors should emphasize that reduplication itself already indicates an increased degree, so additional degree adverbs are unnecessary.
*他很高高兴兴地来了。
他高高兴兴地来了。
*他很高高興興地來了。
他高高興興地來了。
*今天的晚会热热闹闹极了。
今天的晚会热热闹闹的。
*今天的晚會熱熱鬧鬧極了。
今天的晚會熱熱鬧鬧的。
1.4 Incorrect word order with adverbs
Adverbs like yě 也, dōu 都 should precede the reduplication. Learners may misplace them.
*大家高高兴兴都地去上学。
*大家高高兴兴地都去上学。
大家都高高兴兴地去上学。
*大家高高興興都地去上學。
*大家高高興興地都去上學。
大家都高高興興地去上學。
1.5 Omission of the structural particle de 的
Learners may omit de 的 when using adjectives as predicates or complements.
*我的老师高高。
我的老师高高的。
*我的老師高高。
我的老師高高的。
1.6 Omission of the structural particle de 地
Learners may omit de 地 when disyllabic adjective reduplication serves as an adverbial.
*学生们安安静静走进教室。
学生们安安静静地走进教室。
*學生們安安靜靜走進教室。
學生們安安靜靜地走進教室。
2. Semantic error
2.1 Misuse in negative contexts
As noted earlier, reduplication is rarely used in negation. Learners may produce unnatural expressions by using reduplicated adjectives in negative sentences. Instructors should remind learners that reduplication and negation usually do not occur together. For advanced learners, instructors can provide examples of pragmatic exceptions.
*山不高高的。
山不高。
山不太高。
不是快快地把作业做完就好，还要注意是不是都写对了。
你不愿意好好地坐下来讨论，怎么会有好的结果呢？
*山不高高的。
山不高。
山不太高。
不是快快地把作業做完就好，還要注意是不是都寫對了。
你不願意好好地坐下來討論，怎麼會有好的結果呢？
3. Pragmatic error
3.1 Ignoring the tone of affection or intimacy
Learners may ignore the changes in tone produced after reduplication such as affection and intimacy. Instructors should compare the tone differences and combine specific contexts to explain the different emotions expressed by the reduplicated form.
3.2 Using reduplication in formal writing
Adjective reduplication is more common in spoken or informal contexts. Overuse in formal writing may sound childish or inappropriate.
Errors caused by native transfer
1. Omission of particles
Learners from languages without structural particles may omit 的 or 地 after reduplication.
*他高高兴兴来上课。
他高高兴兴地来上课。
*他高高興興來上課。
他高高興興地來上課。
2. Negative transfer in word order
Learners whose L1 allows flexible adverb placement (e.g. ‘also quietly read’) may misplace adverbs such as yě 也 or dōu 都.
*孩子安安静静地也看书。
孩子也安安静静地看书。
*孩子安安靜靜地也看書。
孩子也安安靜靜地看書。
Classroom activity: "你说我猜 "You Say, I Guess"
15–20 minutes
Whole class; take turns as the speaker
- Students take turns going to the front and describing a picture using adjective reduplication.
- The rest of the class guesses what the picture shows. Whoever guesses correctly gets the picture card.
- The student with the most picture cards at the end wins the game.
Picture cards showing actions in progress.
A chubby kitten is happily running in the park. “胖胖的”小猫在公园里“开开心心地”跑步。
A beautiful girl is slowly singing on the top of the hill. 一个“漂漂亮亮的”的女孩在山上“慢慢地”唱歌。