屡屡 (lǚ lǚ) — again and again; repeatedly

Definition

Literary/written adverb for 'again and again', typically before a verb in formal prose. Stronger and more formal than 一再 or 再三, which are also written but more neutral.

adverb

again and againrepeatedly

Examples

屡屡。
Tā lǚ lǚ zài bǐ sài zhōng chuàng zào jì lù.
He repeatedly set records in competitions.
屡屡，。
Zhè zhǒng cuò wù lǚ lǚ fā shēng, bì xū zhǎo dào yuán yīn.
This kind of mistake keeps happening; we must find the cause.
屡屡，。
Lì shǐ lǚ lǚ zhèng míng, hé zuò bǐ duì kàng gèng yǒu xiào.
History has repeatedly proven that cooperation is more effective than confrontation.

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.

屡lǚagain and again

屡 already means again and again; repeating it stresses how often something happens.

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 屢; 屡 is its simplified writing.

尸婁屢

Meaning part形符xíngfú

尸尸shī

Sound part声符shēngfú

婁

婁lóu屢lǚ

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

The traditional form 屢 pairs 尸 with 婁; 尸 relates to the meaning and 婁 gives the sound. This note is about 屢, not about the simplified 屡.

Open 屡 →