处处 (chù chù) — everywhere; in all respects

Definition

Everywhere / in every respect, often paired with 都. Unlike 到处, which stresses physical places, 处处 can also mean 'in all respects' (e.g. 处处为别人着想).

adverb

everywherein all respects

Examples

，处处。
Chūn tiān lái le, chù chù dōu shì huā.
Spring has come, and there are flowers everywhere.
。
Tā chù chù wèi bié rén zhuó xiǎng.
He considers others in all respects.
，处处。
Zài zhè ge gōng sī, chù chù dōu yào zūn shǒu guī zé.
In this company, you must follow the rules in every way.

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.

处chùplace

处 means a place; repeating it spreads the idea to every place.

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 處; 处 is its simplified writing.

虍夂几處

Meaning part形符xíngfú

夂夂zhǐ

几几jǐtable

Sound part声符shēngfú

虍

虍hū處chǔ

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 處 pairs 虍, giving the sound, with 夂 and 几, a table, as meaning parts. The simplified 处 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 处 →