蛋蛋 (dàn dàn) — (colloquial) pet name for a child, like 'little…

Definition

A colloquial pet name for a child or small pet, like 'little egg' or 'baby'. It is reduplicated and used in casual, affectionate address — not a term adults use for themselves.

noun

(colloquial) pet name for a childlike 'little egg' or 'baby'

Measure word · 个

Examples

蛋蛋蛋蛋。
Mā ma jiào tā de xiǎo míng dàn dàn dàn dàn.
Mom calls his nickname Dandan.
蛋蛋蛋蛋，，。
dàn dàn dàn dàn, Bié kū le, bà ba gěi nǐ mǎi táng.
Dandan, don't cry, Dad will buy you candy.
蛋蛋蛋蛋。
Tā men jiā de xiǎo dàn dàn dàn dàn tè bié kě ài.
Their little Dandan is especially cute.

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.

蛋dànegg

The double 蛋, like an egg, makes an affectionate pet name for a child.

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

虫虫chóngsnake, insect

Sound part声符shēngfú

延

延yán蛋dàn

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

In 蛋, the lower part 虫 is a snake or insect, and the upper part is a shortened 延 giving the sound for 'egg'.

Open 蛋 →