开开 (kāi kāi) — to open, to turn on (casually, briefly, or as a try)

Definition

开开 is the casual reduplicated verb form of 开 — a quick, light 'open' or 'turn on' (a door, a light, a window), done briefly as an action. It's lighter and shorter than a full command.

verb
to opento turn on (casually, briefly, or as a try)

Examples

  • 开开。
    Qǐng bǎ mén kāi kāi.
    Please open the door.
  • ，开开。
    Tiān hēi le, kāi kāi dēng ba.
    It's dark, let's turn on the light.
  • 开开。
    Nǐ kāi kāi chuāng hu tòu tòu qì.
    Open the window to let some air in.

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.

开kāiopen
开kāiopen

开 means open, and the repeated 开 suggests a brief or casual opening.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

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