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严严实实 (yán yán shí shí) — tightly, securely, completely (without gaps or openings)

Definition

A reduplicated adverb meaning 'tightly, with no gaps' — used after 得 to describe how something is closed, wrapped, or sealed shut (e.g. 盖得严严实实, 包得严严实实). Bound form: it never stands alone as a predicate.

bound form
tightlysecurelycompletely (without gaps or openings)

Examples

  • 严严实实。
    Tā bǎ chuāng hu guān dé yán yán shí shí.
    She closed the window tightly.
  • 严严实实。
    Tā bǎ lǐ wù bāo dé yán yán shí shí.
    He wrapped the gift securely.
  • 严严实实。
    Shān dòng de rù kǒu bèi fēng dé yán yán shí shí.
    The cave entrance was sealed completely.

Origin

Reduplicated word
构词法gòucífǎ
重叠chóngdiéReduplication

A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.

严严
严yántight严yántight
重叠Reduplication
实实
实shísolid实shísolid
重叠Reduplication

严 and 实 mean tight and solid; the doubled form stresses there are no gaps.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 嚴; 严 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
喦喦yántalkative
Sound part声符shēngfú
敢
敢gǎn嚴yán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 嚴 combines 喦 (talkative) and 敢 (daring); the simplified 严 is a later shorthand.

Open 严 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 嚴; 严 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
喦喦yántalkative
Sound part声符shēngfú
敢
敢gǎn嚴yán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 嚴 combines 喦 (talkative) and 敢 (daring); the simplified 严 is a later shorthand.

Open 严 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 實; 实 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánroof
  • 周周zhōucarved jade
  • 貝貝bèishellfish; cowrie

The traditional form 實 has 宀 'roof' above 周 'carved jade' and 貝 'cowrie'; the simplified 实 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 实 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 實; 实 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánroof
  • 周周zhōucarved jade
  • 貝貝bèishellfish; cowrie

The traditional form 實 has 宀 'roof' above 周 'carved jade' and 貝 'cowrie'; the simplified 实 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 实 →
Appears in
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