挤挤 (jǐ jǐ) — to squeeze or push slightly; to make room by pressing

Definition

A reduplicated verb meaning 'to squeeze a little / make room by pressing', softer than the full verb 挤. Often used to politely ask people to scoot together.

verb
to squeeze or push slightlyto make room by pressing

Examples

  • 挤挤，。
    Qǐng dà jiā dōu wǎng lǐ jǐ jǐ, ràng wài miàn de rén yě néng shàng chē.
    Please move inward so that people outside can also get on the bus.
  • 挤挤，。
    Nǐ jǐ jǐ yǎn jing, kàn kàn yǒu méi yǒu shā zi jìn qù.
    Squeeze your eyes to see if any sand got in.
  • 挤挤，。
    Wǒ men jǐ jǐ shí jiān, zhōng yú bǎ zuò yè xiě wán le.
    We squeezed our time and finally finished the homework.

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.

挤jǐsqueeze
挤jǐsqueeze

'挤' is doubled to suggest a light squeezing.

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 擠; 挤 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
齊
齊qí擠jǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 擠 pairs 扌 (hand) with 齊, a sound part; the simplified 挤 is a later shorthand.

Open 挤 →

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 擠; 挤 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
齊
齊qí擠jǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 擠 pairs 扌 (hand) with 齊, a sound part; the simplified 挤 is a later shorthand.

Open 挤 →

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