干干净净 (gān gān jìng jìng) — very clean, spotless, spick-and-span; (as a verb complement) completely, to the last bit
Definition
A reduplicated adjective meaning 'spotlessly clean' or 'neat and tidy.' After verbs it works as a result complement meaning 'completely, all gone' (e.g., 吃得干干净净 — ate every last bit).
bound form
very cleanspotlessspick-and-span(as a verb complement) completelyto the last bit
Examples
- 干干净净。Fáng jiān dǎ sǎo dé gān gān jìng jìng.The room was cleaned spotlessly.
- 干干净净。Tā bǎ fàn quán chī dé gān gān jìng jìng.He ate all the food completely.
- 干干净净，。Tā chuān dé gān gān jìng jìng de, kàn qǐ lái hěn jīng shén.She was dressed very neatly and looked energetic.
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.
干 and 净 both mean clean, and repeating them gives a very clean or complete sense.
Appears in
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