<p>When you see an <em>AABB</em> type word with A and B are antonyms, generally the author is describing both A and B.</p>
<p>So it's actually &quot;tall <strong>AND</strong> short&quot;.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>高高矮矮的树 = both tall trees and small trees = Some of the trees are tall and others are small</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In this case it is just an imagery, the author does not tend to describe the height of the trees, but only to make the scene more vivid.</p>
<p>More examples:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>日日夜夜：days <strong>and</strong> nights (in your sentence)</p>
<p>里里外外：inside <strong>and</strong> outside</p>
<p>是是非非：right <strong>and</strong> wrong</p>
<p>前前后后：before <strong>and</strong> after</p>
<p>真真假假：true <strong>and</strong> false</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-08T23:04:14.573Z
2021-06-08T23:04:14.573Z
Alan Zzz
<p>高矮 = height (n)</p>
<p>長短 = length (n)</p>
<p>大小 = size (n)</p>
<p>高高矮矮的 = (有些)高的，(有些)矮的 = some are tall, some are short = both tall and short (of different height)</p>
<p>長長短短的 = (有些)長的，(有些)短的 = some are long, some are short = both long and short (of different length)</p>
<p>大大小小的 = (有些)大的，(有些)小的 =  some are big, some are small = both big and small (of different size)</p>
<p>高高矮矮的没有花的绿树 = flowerless green tree of different height</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>It is the reduplication of 高矮</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>高高矮矮的 is a reduplication of 高的 (adj 1) + 矮的 (adj 2). The reduplication indicates 'some (adj 1)' some (adj 2)</p>
<p>It is different from 快快樂樂地, which is a reduplication of 快樂地 (adverb). The reduplication emphasizes the adverb itself</p>
<p>Notice: 高高(的) is a reduplication of 高(的), it is for emphasis</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-08T23:07:11.323Z
2021-06-08T23:28:52.720Z
2021-06-08T23:28:52.720Z
Tang Ho
<p>The trees,some are tall, some are short (relatively).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-10T04:28:44.710Z
2021-06-10T04:28:44.710Z
Zhang
<p>It seems the author returned home after a long period of absence. He felt heartbreak and lost because the person who used to greet his homecoming with heartwarming smiles was gone, but the yard of unattended, wildly grown, green trees.</p>
<p>高高矮矮 means &quot;uneven in height&quot; - some are tall and some are short. Used here, it describes the scene of unattended trees that grows wild, as the person who used to tending the garden/yard has left or passed away.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-08T23:33:57.923Z
2021-06-08T23:33:57.923Z
r13
<p>I encountered a sentence in a very sad story by Ba Jin:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>十二年，多么长的日日夜夜！每次我回到家门口，眼前就出现一张笑脸，一个亲切的声音向我迎来，可是走进院子，却只见一些高高矮矮的没有花的绿树。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>My question is, what 高高矮矮 means. It is the reduplication of 高矮, which usually appears to be a noun for „height“. Since here it operates as an adjective, I assume it means „tall or short“, possibly with the connotation that the author does not care  about their height.</p>

<meaning-in-context>
What does 高高矮矮 mean?
# What does 高高矮矮 mean?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-06-08)

I encountered a sentence in a very sad story by Ba Jin:

> 十二年，多么长的日日夜夜！每次我回到家门口，眼前就出现一张笑脸，一个亲切的声音向我迎来，可是走进院子，却只见一些高高矮矮的没有花的绿树。

My question is, what 高高矮矮 means. It is the reduplication of 高矮, which usually appears to be a noun for „height“. Since here it operates as an adjective, I assume it means „tall or short“, possibly with the connotation that the author does not care about their height.

**Tags:** meaning-in-context

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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2021-06-08. Score: 10 | Accepted answer

It seems the author returned home after a long period of absence. He felt heartbreak and lost because the person who used to greet his homecoming with heartwarming smiles was gone, but the yard of unattended, wildly grown, green trees.

高高矮矮 means "uneven in height" - some are tall and some are short. Used here, it describes the scene of unattended trees that grows wild, as the person who used to tending the garden/yard has left or passed away.


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### Answer by username_1 on 2021-06-08. Score: 17

When you see an *AABB* type word with A and B are antonyms, generally the author is describing both A and B.

So it's actually "tall **AND** short".

> 高高矮矮的树 = both tall trees and small trees = Some of the trees are tall and others are small

In this case it is just an imagery, the author does not tend to describe the height of the trees, but only to make the scene more vivid.

More examples:

> 日日夜夜：days **and** nights (in your sentence)
>
> 里里外外：inside **and** outside
>
> 是是非非：right **and** wrong
>
> 前前后后：before **and** after
>
> 真真假假：true **and** false


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### Answer by username_2 on 2021-06-08. Score: 9

高矮 = height (n)

長短 = length (n)

大小 = size (n)

高高矮矮的 = (有些)高的，(有些)矮的 = some are tall, some are short = both tall and short (of different height)

長長短短的 = (有些)長的，(有些)短的 = some are long, some are short = both long and short (of different length)

大大小小的 = (有些)大的，(有些)小的 = some are big, some are small = both big and small (of different size)

高高矮矮的没有花的绿树 = flowerless green tree of different height

> *It is the reduplication of 高矮*

高高矮矮的 is a reduplication of 高的 (adj 1) + 矮的 (adj 2). The reduplication indicates 'some (adj 1)' some (adj 2)

It is different from 快快樂樂地, which is a reduplication of 快樂地 (adverb). The reduplication emphasizes the adverb itself

Notice: 高高(的) is a reduplication of 高(的), it is for emphasis


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### Answer by username_3 on 2021-06-10. Score: 0

The trees,some are tall, some are short (relatively).


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