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简简单单 (jiǎn jiǎn dān dān) — (reduplicated form of 简单) in a very simple and straightforward manner; plain and easy

Definition

Reduplicated form of 简单, meaning 'very simple and straightforward' (a life, a way of doing things). Used like an adjective or adverb — note the pinyin shift on the second 单 (dān → chán) typical of AABB reduplication.

bound form
(reduplicated form of 简单) in a very simple and straightforward mannerplain and easy

Examples

  • 简简单单。
    Wǒ men jiù bǎ zhè jiàn shì jiǎn jiǎn dān dān dì chǔ lǐ yí xià ba.
    Let's just handle this matter in a very simple way.
  • 简简单单。
    Shēng huó jiǎn jiǎn dān dān zuì hǎo.
    A simple life is best.
  • 简简单单。
    Tā chuān de zǒng shì jiǎn jiǎn dān dān de.
    He always dresses very simply.

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.

简简
简jiǎnsimple简jiǎnsimple
重叠Reduplication
单单
单dānsimple单dānsimple
重叠Reduplication

简 and 单 both convey simplicity; doubling them gives a very plain, easy manner.

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 簡; 简 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
竹竹zhú
Sound part声符shēngfú
間
閒xián簡jiǎn
Same sound today

In the traditional form 簡, 竹 (bamboo) is paired with 間 (also written 閒) as a sound part; the simplified 简 is a later shorthand.

Open 简 →

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 簡; 简 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
竹竹zhú
Sound part声符shēngfú
間
閒xián簡jiǎn
Same sound today

In the traditional form 簡, 竹 (bamboo) is paired with 間 (also written 閒) as a sound part; the simplified 简 is a later shorthand.

Open 简 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 單; 单 is its simplified writing.

The form 單 originally pictured a Y-shaped wooden stick with two stones on top.

Open 单 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 單; 单 is its simplified writing.

The form 單 originally pictured a Y-shaped wooden stick with two stones on top.

Open 单 →
Appears in
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