偏偏 (piān piān) — unfortunately, as it happens (contrary to one's wishes); stubbornly, deliberately (defying reason or advice); precisely, only (singling out someone/something in an unwanted way)
Definition
偏偏 marks an outcome or choice that goes AGAINST what one expects or wishes ("of all people…", "stubbornly"). The closest sibling 偏 means the same stubbornness but as a standalone adverb; 恰好/恰恰/恰巧 describe lucky coincidence, the opposite framing.
adverb
unfortunatelyas it happens (contrary to one's wishes)stubbornlydeliberately (defying reason or advice)preciselyonly (singling out someone/something in an unwanted way)
Examples
- ，偏偏。Wǒ hǎo bù róng yì qǐng le jiǎ, piān piān gōng sī shuō yào jiā bān.I finally managed to take time off, but the company just had to ask me to work overtime.
- ，偏偏。Dà jiā dōu shuō nà tiáo lù wēi xiǎn, tā piān piān yào zǒu.Everyone said that road was dangerous, but he insisted on taking it.
- ，偏偏。Nà me duō rén dōu tōng guò le, piān piān wǒ méi guò.So many people passed, yet I'm the one who failed.
Grammar
Appears in
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