歇歇 (xiē xiē) — to take a short rest; to have a brief break | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Reduplicated verb meaning to take a short rest — the repetition makes it feel light and casual, like 'rest a bit'. Often paired with 一会儿 in the middle (歇一会儿).

bound form

to take a short restto have a brief break

Examples

，歇歇。
Nǐ lèi le, xiē xiē ba.
You're tired; take a short rest.
歇歇。
Wǒ dé xiē xiē zài gān.
I need to rest a bit before continuing work.
，歇歇。
Dà jiā máng le yí shàng wǔ, xiē xiē yí huì r ba.
Everyone has been busy all morning; let's take a short break.

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.

The repeated 歇 conveys a brief, casual rest.

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.

曷欠歇

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

曷

曷hé歇xiē

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

歇 uses 曷 for its sound hé and 欠 for its meaning.

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

曷欠歇

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

曷

曷hé歇xiē

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

歇 uses 曷 for its sound hé and 欠 for its meaning.

Appears in

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