拍拍 (pāi pāi) — to pat lightly, to clap (reduplicated form implying a brief or casual action)

Definition

拍拍 is the reduplicated, casual form of 拍, used for light, brief taps or claps (patting a shoulder, clapping hands). The repetition signals a short, gentle action rather than a sustained one.

verb
to pat lightlyto clap (reduplicated form implying a brief or casual action)

Examples

  • 拍拍，。
    Tā qīng qīng de pāi pāi wǒ de jiān bǎng, ān wèi wǒ.
    He gently patted my shoulder to comfort me.
  • 拍拍，。
    Mā ma pāi pāi shǒu, ràng hái zi guò lái.
    Mom clapped her hands to call the child over.
  • 拍拍，。
    Wǒ men pāi pāi shēn shàng de huī chén, rán hòu jìn le wū.
    We patted the dust off our clothes and then went inside.

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.

拍pāipat
拍pāipat

The repeated 拍 gives a light, brief patting or clapping sense.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái拍pāi
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拍 puts 手 (hand) beside 白, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 拍 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái拍pāi
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拍 puts 手 (hand) beside 白, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 拍 →

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