• 1. Introduction
  • 2. Pairs of Antonyms
  • 3. Pairs of Antonyms with one syllable
  • 4. Synonyms
  • 5. Learning Steps

  • Exercises

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Shumianyu

Chapter 4 / Part 3 / Examples

AABB form of antonyms



In the introductory section, we gave you an example word: dadaxiaoxiao that is formed by repeating a pair of antonyms: dà and xiǎo. We mentioned that this type of expressions are often used to describe that the case where opposite situations co-exist. Please note that this form can only be used in the following phrases. You should not attempt to apply this form to other antonyms.


1. 日 antonym 夜
A B
A A B B
日日夜夜
Pinyin rìrìyèyè
Meaning day-day-night-night: day and night
Sentence 到美国已经一个月了, 可是他日日夜夜想念在中国的家人。
Pinyin Dào měiguó yǐjīng yì ge yue le, kěshì tā rìrìyèyè xiǎngniàn zài zhōngguó de jiārén.
Meaning He has come to America for a month, but he misses his family day and night.
2. 朝 antonym 暮
A B
A A B B
朝朝暮暮
Pinyin zhāozhāomùmù
Meaning morning-morning-dusk-dusk: all day long, everyday
Sentence 我朝朝暮暮想和梦中情人/白马王子见面。
Pinyin Wǒ zhāozhāomùmù xiǎng hé mèngzhōng qíngrén/báimǎ wángzǐ jiànmiàn.
Meaning Every single day, I want to meet my dream lover/prince Charlie.
3. 是 antonym 非
A B
A A B B
是是非非
Pinyin shìshìfēifēi
Meaning yes-yes-no-no: gossip
Sentence 我不想听你们的是是非非。
Pinyin Wǒ bù xiǎng tīng nǐmen de shìshìfēifēi.
Meaning I do not want to listen to your gossip.
4. 吞 antonym 吐
A B
A A B B
吞吞吐吐
Pinyin tūntūntǔtǔ
Meaning swallow-swallow-spit-spit: hiding something in speaking
Sentence 你说话吞吞吐吐的, 是不是有什麽困难?
Pinyin Nǐ shuō huà zǒngshì tūntūntǔtǔ de, shì bù shi yǒu shénme yuányīn?
Meaning You are not giving it all out; do you have any difficulties?
5. 上 antonym 下
A B
A A B B
上上下下
Pinyin shàngshàngxiàxià
Meaning up-up-down-down: the entire group
Sentence 我们学校上上下下的人都认识小王。
Pinyin Wǒmen xuéxiào shàngshàngxiàxià de rén dōu rènshi xiǎo Wáng.
Meaning Everyone in our school knows Little Wang.
6. 进 antonym 出
A B
A A B B
进进出出
Pinyin jìnjìnchūchū
Meaning in-in-out-out: in and out
Sentence 火车站每天有许多乘客进进出出。
Pinyin Huǒchēzhàn měitiān yǒu xǔduō chéngkè jìnjìnchūchū.
Meaning There are many passangers going in and out of the train station.
7. 高 antonym 低
A B
A A B B
高高低低
Pinyin gāogāodīdī
Meaning high-high-low-low: high and low
Sentence 纽约有很多高高低低的建筑。
Pinyin Niǔyuē yǒu hěn duō gāogāodīdī de jiànzhù.
Meaning There are tall and low buildings in New York City.
8. 来 antonym 回
A B
A A B B
来来回回
Pinyin láiláihuíhuí
Meaning come-come-return-return: coming and returning
Sentence 我来来回回已经跑了三趟。
Pinyin Wǒ láiláiqùqù yǐjīng pǎo le sān tàng.
Meaning I had been running from here to there three times.
9. 前 antonym 后
A B
A A B B
前前后后
Pinyin qiánqiánhòuhòu
Meaning front-front-back-back: up to now
Sentence 他前前后后已经给你写了三封信, 你为什麽不回信?
Pinyin Tā qiánqiánhòuhòu yǐjīng gěi nǐ xiě le sān fēng xìn, nǐ wèishénme bù huí xìn?
Meaning Altogether, he has written to you three letters already, why don't you write him back?
10. 真 antonym 假
A B
A A B B
真真假假
Pinyin zhēnzhēnjiǎjiǎ
Meaning true-true-false-false: true and false
Sentence 报上的新闻真真假假,假假真真,不能相信。
Pinyin Bàoshàng de xīnwén zhēnzhēnjiǎjiǎ, jiǎjiǎzhēnzhēn, bù néng xiāng xìn.
Meaning Some of the news in newspapers are real, some are not, you'd better not believe what you read.



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