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短短的 (duǎn duǎn de) — (describing something) very short; short and stubby

Definition

Reduplicated form of 短 used as an adjective meaning 'very short' (time, hair, skirt, etc.) — the -的 turns the reduplicated adjective into an attributive/predicative form.

adjective
(describing something) very shortshort and stubby

Examples

  • 短短的。
    Tā liú le yì tóu duǎn duǎn de de tóu fa.
    She kept her hair very short.
  • ，短短的。
    Zhè tiáo qún zi tài cháng le, wǒ xiǎng mǎi yì tiáo duǎn duǎn de de.
    This skirt is too long; I want to buy a short one.
  • ，短短的。
    Jià qī zhǐ yǒu sān tiān, duǎn duǎn de de shí jiān gēn běn bú gòu yòng.
    The holiday is only three days — such a short time is nowhere near enough.

Origin

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
矢矢shǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu短duǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

短 is built from 矢 and 豆. 豆 is used for its sound, while 矢 is the component linked to the meaning.

Open 短 →

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
矢矢shǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu短duǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

短 is built from 矢 and 豆. 豆 is used for its sound, while 矢 is the component linked to the meaning.

Open 短 →

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
白白báiwhite
Sound part声符shēngfú
勺
勺sháo的de
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

的 pairs 白, related to white or brightness, with 勺, which gives a clue to the sound. Its older form 旳 meant bright.

Open 的 →
Appears in
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