认认真真 (rèn rèn zhēn zhēn) — seriously, carefully, conscientiously (emphasizing thoroughness)

Definition

Reduplicated adverbial form of 认真 meaning 'very seriously / very carefully' — stronger and more emphatic than plain 认真. Common as ∼地 before verbs or as ∼的 before nouns.

adjective
seriouslycarefullyconscientiously (emphasizing thoroughness)

Examples

  • 认认真真，。
    Tā zuò shì zǒng shì rèn rèn zhēn zhēn de, cóng bù mǎ hu.
    He always does things carefully, never sloppily.
  • 认认真真。
    Lǎo shī yāo qiú wǒ men rèn rèn zhēn zhēn dì wán chéng zuò yè.
    The teacher asked us to finish the homework carefully.
  • 认认真真。
    Tā rèn rèn zhēn zhēn dì dú wán le nà běn shū.
    She read that book thoroughly.

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.

认认
认rènacknowledge认rènacknowledge
真真
真zhēntrue真zhēntrue

认 (acknowledge) and 真 (true) are repeated to stress careful seriousness.

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
讠Written in full as言yánspeech
Sound part声符shēngfú
人
人rén认rèn
Same sound today

The left part 讠 shows speech, and the right part 人 gives the sound.

Open 认 →

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
讠Written in full as言yánspeech
Sound part声符shēngfú
人
人rén认rèn
Same sound today

The left part 讠 shows speech, and the right part 人 gives the sound.

Open 认 →

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
貝貝bèicowrie; shell
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠂈
𠂈𠂈真zhēn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

真 pairs 貝 (cowrie shell, used for the meaning) with 𠂈, which gave the sound and originally drew a headlong fall.

Open 真 →

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
貝貝bèicowrie; shell
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠂈
𠂈𠂈真zhēn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

真 pairs 貝 (cowrie shell, used for the meaning) with 𠂈, which gave the sound and originally drew a headlong fall.

Open 真 →

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