黑漆漆 (hēi qī qī) — pitch-dark; totally dark

Definition

Reduplicated adjective bound form meaning 'pitch-dark' — always used as a pre-nominal modifier (黑漆漆的 + noun) and never stands alone. Stronger and more vivid than plain 黑暗, emphasizing complete blackness.

bound form

pitch-darktotally dark

Examples

黑漆漆，。
Fáng jiān lǐ hēi qī qī de, shén me dōu kàn bú jiàn.
The room was pitch-dark; I couldn't see anything.
黑漆漆，。
Wài miàn hēi qī qī de yí piàn, lián lù dēng dōu miè le.
Outside it was a pitch-black expanse, with even the streetlights out.
黑漆漆，。
Nà tiáo xiǎo xiàng wǎn shàng hēi qī qī de, wǒ yí gè rén bù gǎn zǒu.
That alley is pitch-dark at night; I dare not walk through it alone.

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.

黑hēidark

漆漆

漆qī漆qī

重叠Reduplication

黑 means dark, and 漆漆 adds a pitch-dark tone.

Characters in this word

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

The shape of 黑 seems to come from drawing a head marked with dots, usually read as facial tattoos.

Open 黑 →

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

桼

桼qī漆qī

Same sound today

漆 adds 水 (water) to 桼 (resin used to make varnish), which was the earlier form of the word.

Open 漆 →