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冷冰冰 (lěng bīng bīng) — ice-cold, freezing (physically); icy, frosty (in manner or attitude)

Definition

A reduplicated adjective meaning 'ice-cold' literally (temperature) and 'icy' figuratively (a cold, unfriendly manner). Used as a bound form after 的 — e.g. 他对人冷冰冰的.

bound form
ice-coldfreezing (physically)icyfrosty (in manner or attitude)

Examples

  • 冷冰冰，。
    Zhè bēi shuǐ lěng bīng bīng de, méi fǎ hē.
    This glass of water is ice-cold, can't drink it.
  • 冷冰冰，。
    Tā duì rén zǒng shì lěng bīng bīng de, bú tài yǒu hǎo.
    He is always cold toward people, not very friendly.
  • 冷冰冰，。
    Dōng tiān de fēng lěng bīng bīng de, guā zài liǎn shàng hěn nán shòu.
    The winter wind is icy, and it feels terrible blowing on your face.

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.

冷lěngcold
冰冰icy
冰bīng冰bīng
重叠Reduplication

冷 gives coldness, while 冰冰 adds an icy, vivid intensity.

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
冫Written in full as仌bīngice
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng冷lěng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

冷 uses 冫, the ice form, with 令 as a sound part, to mean cold as ice.

Open 冷 →

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shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
冫
仌bīng冰bīng
Same sound today

冰 adds 水 (water) to 冫, the short form of 仌; 冫 gives the sound, and 水 shows the meaning.

Open 冰 →

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shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
冫
仌bīng冰bīng
Same sound today

冰 adds 水 (water) to 冫, the short form of 仌; 冫 gives the sound, and 水 shows the meaning.

Open 冰 →
Appears in
Texture & Quality

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