水汪汪 (shuǐ wāng wāng) — (of eyes) bright and limpid, as if filled with water; (of soil) waterlogged, excessively wet

Definition

A vivid picture-word (ABB reduplication) used as a bound form before 的: bright, moist eyes ('dewy-eyed') or waterlogged ground. Not a standalone adjective.

bound form
(of eyes) bright and limpidas if filled with water(of soil) waterloggedexcessively wet

Examples

  • 水汪汪，。
    Tā yǒu yì shuāng shuǐ wāng wāng de dà yǎn jing, kàn qǐ lái tè bié kě ài.
    She has a pair of big, bright eyes that look especially adorable.
  • ，水汪汪。
    Xiǎo gū niang de yǎn lèi hái guà zài liǎn shàng, yǎn jing shuǐ wāng wāng de.
    The little girl's tears were still on her face, and her eyes were shiny with tears.
  • ，水汪汪，。
    Lián xià le jǐ tiān yǔ, tián lǐ de tǔ dōu biàn de shuǐ wāng wāng de, méi fǎ zhǒng zhuāng jia le.
    After several days of rain, the soil in the fields became waterlogged and couldn't be planted.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

水shuǐwater
汪汪brimming appearance
汪wāng汪wāng

水 gives the idea of water, while 汪汪 adds a brimming, watery look.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

水 is a simple drawing of water flowing.

Open 水 →

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
王
王wáng汪wāng
Same sound today

汪 pairs 水 (water), showing liquid, with 王, a part that gives the sound.

Open 汪 →

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
王
王wáng汪wāng
Same sound today

汪 pairs 水 (water), showing liquid, with 王, a part that gives the sound.

Open 汪 →

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