<p>That reduplication pattern of adjectives is a <strong><em>cutie</em></strong> way to express <strong><em>quite</em></strong>.  E. g.  她的眼睛大大的。他的个子高高的。</p>

<p>Well, 她的眼睛很大 and 他的个子很高 don't have that effect.  </p>

<p>We don't say 她的眼睛很大大的, which means 很 doesn't work with this reduplication pattern.  </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-22T03:35:40.580Z
2020-01-22T11:38:59.380Z
2020-01-22T11:38:59.380Z
dan
<p>There are two things going here, the reduplication， and a sentence structure that goes N  + Adj + 的. I think of these sentences as:</p>

<p>你的女朋友高高的 = 他的女朋友 （是一个）高高的 （女朋友）</p>

<p>NB: The N + Adj + 的 structure is not limited to reduplicated adjectives.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-27T03:36:24.910Z
2020-01-27T03:59:46.310Z
2020-01-27T03:59:46.310Z
user20347
<ul>
<li><p>很 as an adverb (very) only applies to adjective, never noun</p>
</li>
<li><p>A reduplicated adjective emphasizes itself similar to adding &quot;quite&quot; (颇/相当)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>A reduplicated adjective cannot also use &quot;very&quot; because a reduplicated adjective <em>emphasizes itself</em>, similar to adding the adverb &quot;quite&quot;.</p>
<p>Example:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>他<strong>很强壮</strong> = He is (very strong)</p>
<p><strong>强强壮壮的</strong>他 = He who is (quite strong)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>We can describe a man &quot;very strong&quot; or &quot;quite strong&quot; but not at same time, because they are different degree of superlative. 很 (very) is stronger than 颇 (quite). Is he very strong or quite strong?</p>
<p>&quot;他(很)(强强壮壮的)&quot; translated into English would be &quot;He is very quite strong&quot;, which is not grammatical.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-21T19:22:23.273Z
Ok, I see you can't use很 in this kind of phrases. But what pattern can you use for reduplicated adjectives: "Red Adj + 的 + Noun" or "Noun + Red Adj + 的“? I did read this second pattern so got confused.
Ayose V.
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-21T19:54:07.830Z
The difference between " 强强壮壮的他 " and "他强强壮壮的 " -- The former is a simple "adj +n" phrase;  The latter seems incomplete. It would be more natural to write "他强强壮壮的,  不用看医生" than just "他强强壮壮的"
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-10T00:20:04.573Z
他强强壮壮的 is a [ topic + comment] sentence,  in  which 他 is the topic and 强强壮壮的 is the comment
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-21T17:09:33.953Z
2020-07-09T16:58:03.963Z
2020-07-09T16:58:03.963Z
Tang Ho
<p>Why is it not necessary to use 很 (or other adverbs of degree) to link nouns and adjectives when you reduplicate the adjective, and instead use a 的 after the adjective?</p>
<p>For example:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>你的女朋友高高的。</p>
<p>她们漂漂亮亮的。</p>
</blockquote>

<grammar><usage><adjectives>
Adverbs of degree with reduplicated adjective phrases?
# Adverbs of degree with reduplicated adjective phrases?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-01-21)

Why is it not necessary to use 很 (or other adverbs of degree) to link nouns and adjectives when you reduplicate the adjective, and instead use a 的 after the adjective?

For example:

> 你的女朋友高高的。
>
> 她们漂漂亮亮的。

**Tags:** grammar, usage, adjectives

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-01-21. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

* 很 as an adverb (very) only applies to adjective, never noun
* A reduplicated adjective emphasizes itself similar to adding "quite" (颇/相当)

A reduplicated adjective cannot also use "very" because a reduplicated adjective *emphasizes itself*, similar to adding the adverb "quite".

Example:

> 他**很强壮** = He is (very strong)
>
> **强强壮壮的**他 = He who is (quite strong)

We can describe a man "very strong" or "quite strong" but not at same time, because they are different degree of superlative. 很 (very) is stronger than 颇 (quite). Is he very strong or quite strong?

"他(很)(强强壮壮的)" translated into English would be "He is very quite strong", which is not grammatical.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Ok, I see you can't use很 in this kind of phrases. But what pattern can you use for reduplicated adjectives: "Red Adj + 的 + Noun" or "Noun + Red Adj + 的“? I did read this second pattern so got confused.  
> **username_3**: The difference between " 强强壮壮的他 " and "他强强壮壮的 " -- The former is a simple "adj +n" phrase;  The latter seems incomplete. It would be more natural to write "他强强壮壮的,  不用看医生" than just "他强强壮壮的"  
> **username_3**: 他强强壮壮的 is a [ topic + comment] sentence,  in  which 他 is the topic and 强强壮壮的 is the comment  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2020-01-22. Score: 1

That reduplication pattern of adjectives is a ***cutie*** way to express ***quite***. E. g. 她的眼睛大大的。他的个子高高的。

Well, 她的眼睛很大 and 他的个子很高 don't have that effect.

We don't say 她的眼睛很大大的, which means 很 doesn't work with this reduplication pattern.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2020-01-27. Score: 1

There are two things going here, the reduplication， and a sentence structure that goes N + Adj + 的. I think of these sentences as:

你的女朋友高高的 = 他的女朋友 （是一个）高高的 （女朋友）

NB: The N + Adj + 的 structure is not limited to reduplicated adjectives.


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