Reduplication of measure words (量词重叠)
Meaning
In Chinese, many measure words can be reduplicated to emphasize that each person or thing within a certain group has a particular characteristic or is involved in the same action.
The adverb 都 (dōu) is often used after the reduplicated measure word.
Basic Structure
For example:
Here, 张张 means “each photograph”.
1. 张张 — “each photograph”
Compare:
Each photograph is very beautiful.
2. 个个 — “each one / every one”
Compare:
Each apple is very big.
3. 天天 — “every day”
Reduplication can also be used with words referring to time, not only with objects.
Compare:
It rains every day.
The Main Rule
When a measure word is reduplicated, it often takes the meaning “each / every”; for time expressions, it can mean “every day”.
Examples:
Compare with 每
Reduplicated measure words often have a meaning similar to 每 + Measure Word.
① 张张 = 每张
Each photograph is very beautiful.
② 个个 = 每个
Each apple is very big.
③ 天天 = 每天
It rains every day.
Using 都
After a reduplicated measure word, 都 (dōu) is often used.
For example:
都 emphasizes that the characteristic or action applies to every member of the group.
Remember
Reduplicated Measure Word → “each / every”
Main Pattern
For example: