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Words repeating? 真正、朋友 | ||
Tags: Meaning of words | Mandarin | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Specific Languages |  | |
| Babyface Newbie China Joined 4961 days ago 5 posts - 5 votes | Message 1 of 4 29 July 2011 at 5:33am | IP Logged |
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Is there a particular reason why some compound words are created by (almost) repeating the same word twice? For example, as far as I can tell 朋 and 友 both mean friend and so the word ""朋友"" sounds like ""friend friend"". Or do the two parts have a different meaning (role) within the compound?
Another example is the following: as far as I can tell 真 means something like genuine and the meaning of 正 is close to ""right, proper"". So the compound ""真正"" sounds like ""genuine and correct"". Do you know of further such compound words/expressions where the two parts have a very similar meaning? 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| Kappa Groupie Japan Joined 5521 days ago 99 posts - 172 votes  | Message 2 of 4 29 July 2011 at 5:40am | IP Logged |
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Just for reference...
Reduplication - Wikipedia We have plenty of them in Japanese, which are of the Chinese origin, obviously, so you'll encounter a lot. I don't know what it's called, but it shows emphasis or something by repeating the same thing. There's several types of word formation. One is, as mentioned, a set of two (or more?) words/characters meaning the same thing or similar things (e.g., 比較, 計略, 拙劣). Another is, a set of two (or more?) words/characters meaning the opposite of one another (e.g., 表裏, 有無, 上下). Another case is two (or more?) characters where one is the object of the other (e.g., 就職, 育児, 放水). And my break is over. Someone will clear this up, hopefully. (I'm sorry the examples are all Japanese.) Edited by Kappa on 29 July 2011 at 6:12am 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| chirish Newbie China Joined 4910 days ago 9 posts - 14 votes Speaks: Mandarin* Studies: English | Message 3 of 4 31 July 2011 at 4:24am | IP Logged |
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From a native speaker's view
Current Madarin is using two character words more often than one character words, especially very simple expressions, such as 真 or 正 Maybe one reason is the meaning of a single character is usually quite general. For example, the meaning of 正 may be correct, positive, pure, etc 朋 means friend, clique Another reason maybe, if you speak/write some words independently, it is too formal or even old fashion. 朋 友 is the case. It usually exists in Classical Chinese: 有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎？ 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| cntrational Triglot Groupie India Joined 5128 days ago 49 posts - 66 votes Speaks: Hindi, Telugu, English* Studies: French | Message 4 of 4 31 July 2011 at 5:01pm | IP Logged |
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Another example: 喜欢 xǐhuan, "to like", both characters meaning the same thing.
I'm guessing that the reason for this is because 1 character = 1 syllable and most words in Mandarin are two syllables long. 1 person has voted this message useful |
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