磕磕碰碰 (kē kē pèng pèng) — to bump and knock (literally or figuratively); minor conflicts or frictions (in relationships or life)

Definition

A vivid reduplicated verb meaning small physical bumps or minor relational frictions. Use it for everyday 'bumps along the way', not for serious conflict.

verb
to bump and knock (literally or figuratively)minor conflicts or frictions (in relationships or life)

Examples

  • ，磕磕碰碰。
    Bān jiā de shí hou, jiā jù nán miǎn huì kē kē pèng pèng.
    When moving house, furniture inevitably gets bumped and knocked.
  • 磕磕碰碰，。
    Fū qī zhī jiān yǒu diǎn kē kē pèng pèng hěn zhèng cháng, bú yòng tài zài yì.
    It's normal for couples to have minor conflicts; don't take it too seriously.
  • 磕磕碰碰，。
    Shēng huó zhōng zǒng yǒu xiē kē kē pèng pèng, yào xué huì kàn kāi yì diǎn.
    Life always has its little bumps; you need to learn to take things in stride.

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.

磕磕
磕kēbump磕kēbump
碰碰
碰pèngknock碰pèngknock

磕 and 碰 each appear twice, suggesting repeated bumping and knocking.

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
石石shístone
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé磕kē
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

磕 is built from 石 (stone) plus 盍, a part that supplies the sound hé.

Open 磕 →

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
石石shístone
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé磕kē
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

磕 is built from 石 (stone) plus 盍, a part that supplies the sound hé.

Open 磕 →

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
石石shírock
Sound part声符shēngfú
並
並bìng碰pèng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

碰 is built from 石 (rock) and 並 (bìng); 石 shows the meaning, and 並 shows the sound.

Open 碰 →

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
石石shírock
Sound part声符shēngfú
並
並bìng碰pèng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

碰 is built from 石 (rock) and 並 (bìng); 石 shows the meaning, and 並 shows the sound.

Open 碰 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.