软软 (ruǎn ruǎn) — soft (reduplicated form, with a vivid or colloq…

Definition

Reduplicated form of 软 used as an attributive or adverbial (∼的) to give a vivid, colloquial, "so soft" feel — more lively than the plain adjective 软.

bound form

soft (reduplicated form, with a vivid or colloquial feel)

软软，。
Zhè kuài dàn gāo ruǎn ruǎn de, rù kǒu jí huà.
This piece of cake is soft and melts in your mouth.
软软。
Tā bào zhe ruǎn ruǎn de bù wá wa shuì zháo le.
She fell asleep holding the soft cloth doll.
软软。
Xīn mǎi de zhěn tou mō qǐ lái ruǎn ruǎn de hěn shū fu.
The newly bought pillow feels soft and very comfortable.

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.

软 means soft; repeating 软 gives a vivid colloquial sense of softness.

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.