敲敲 (qiāo qiāo) — to knock (lightly, briefly, or casually); to give a knock

Definition

A reduplicated, casual 'knock' — softer and briefer than a single 敲. Goes with an object like 门 or 桌子 (敲敲门, 敲敲桌子) for a light tap.

bound form
to knock (lightly, briefly, or casually)to give a knock
Easily confused

Examples

  • 敲敲，。
    Nǐ qiāo qiāo mén, kàn kàn yǒu méi yǒu rén zài jiā.
    Give the door a knock and see if anyone's home.
  • 敲敲，。
    Tā qīng qīng de qiāo qiāo zhuō zi, tí xǐng dà jiā ān jìng.
    He tapped the table lightly to remind everyone to be quiet.
  • ，敲敲。
    Bié yòng lì, zhǐ yào qiāo qiāo jiù xíng.
    Don't use force, just give it a light knock.

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.

敲qiāoknock
敲qiāoknock

敲 repeated gives a light, brief knock.

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
攴攴pūto hit lightly; to tap
Sound part声符shēngfú
高
高gāo敲qiāo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

敲 combines 高, which supplies the sound, with 攴, meaning to hit lightly or tap.

Open 敲 →

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
攴攴pūto hit lightly; to tap
Sound part声符shēngfú
高
高gāo敲qiāo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

敲 combines 高, which supplies the sound, with 攴, meaning to hit lightly or tap.

Open 敲 →

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