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重复 (chóng fù) — to repeat, to duplicate

Definition

A verb for repeating an action or duplicating content (words, mistakes, documents). Pairs more naturally with abstract things than 复制, which leans toward copying files or reproducing content.

verb
to repeatto duplicate
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 重复。
    Qǐng nǐ chóng fù zhè jù huà.
    Please repeat this sentence.
  • 重复。
    Tā chóng fù le zuó tiān shuō de huà.
    He repeated what he said yesterday.
  • 重复。
    Bú yào chóng fù fàn tóng yàng de cuò wù.
    Don't repeat the same mistake.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

重zhòngagain
复fùagain; repeat

重复 joins 重 'again' and 复 'again' to mean doing something over again.

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
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
東
東dōng重zhòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

重 developed from a picture of a man carrying a bag, with 人 for the man and 東 for the bag; a later ground element was folded into the form.

Open 重 →

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 復; 复 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 复 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (复习, 恢复) it is 復; in others (复印, 复杂) (答复, 反复) it is 複 or 覆.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
彳彳chìwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
复
复fù復fù
Same sound today

The traditional form 復 combines 彳, a walking part, with 复, a sound part, to show walking back and forth.

Open 复 →
Appears in
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