软塌塌 (ruǎn tā tā) — soft and limp; weak and saggy

Definition

A vivid AA-style adjective for things that are soft, limp, and sagging (a deflated pillow, a tired shoulder, stale cake). It is a bound descriptive phrase, not a stand-alone predicate — always followed by 的.

bound form
soft and limpweak and saggy

Examples

  • 软塌塌，。
    Zhè ge zhěn tou ruǎn tā tā de, shuì qǐ lái bù shū fu.
    This pillow is soft and saggy; it's uncomfortable to sleep on.
  • 软塌塌。
    Tā lèi dé jiān bǎng dōu ruǎn tā tā de le.
    He's so tired that his shoulders are all droopy.
  • ，软塌塌。
    Dàn gāo fàng le yì tiān, yǐ jīng biàn de ruǎn tā tā de le.
    The cake has been sitting out for a day and has become soft and collapsed.

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.

软ruǎnsoft
塌塌
塌tā塌tā
重叠Reduplication

软 gives the soft quality, and 塌塌 adds a limp, saggy look.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 軟; 软 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
耎
耎ruǎn軟ruǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 軟 pairs 車 (carriage) with 耎 as a sound part; 耎 depicted a man under rain, and simplified 软 uses a later right side instead of 耎.

Open 软 →

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
土土tǔdirt
Sound part声符shēngfú
𦐇
𦐇𦐇塌tā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

塌 is built from 土 (dirt) and 𦐇, which gives its sound.

Open 塌 →

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
土土tǔdirt
Sound part声符shēngfú
𦐇
𦐇𦐇塌tā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

塌 is built from 土 (dirt) and 𦐇, which gives its sound.

Open 塌 →

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