LEARN + CHINESE / 76 of 300 HSK 3
Every Single One, One at a Time 一口一口・本本
At dinner, your friend takes one bite at a time while the rest of the group is already halfway through. Repeat a measure word to show that something happens to each item separately. Without 一, a repeated measure word can also mean “every single one.”
他一口一口地喝完了这碗汤。
tā yì kǒu yì kǒu de hē wán le zhè wǎn tāng.
He drank this bowl of soup one sip at a time.
客人一位一位地进来，店员忙着安排座位。
kèrén yí wèi yí wèi de jìnlai, diànyuán mángzhe ānpái zuòwèi.
The guests came in one by one while the staff arranged their seats.
这几本书本本都很有意思，你可以慢慢挑。
zhè jǐ běn shū běn běn dōu hěn yǒuyìsi, nǐ kěyǐ mànmàn tiāo.
Every one of these books is interesting; take your time choosing.
我看了菜单一眼，就知道要点什么了。
wǒ kàn le càidān yì yǎn, jiù zhīdào yào diǎn shénme le.
I glanced at the menu and immediately knew what to order.
Hint · 힌트
一口一口地 and 一位一位地 describe an action done one at a time; the repeated word is followed by 地. In 本本都, the classifier stands on its own and means “every single book.”
Vocabulary
| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
dùn | (measure for meals/scolding) |
kǒu | mouth; measure word |
yǎn | eye |
yīyǎn | a glance; a look |
yì kǒu yì kǒu | one bite or sip at a time |
běn běn | every single book |
wèi | measure word for people |
yí wèi yí wèi | one person at a time |
bēi | cup (measure word) |
shuāng | pair (measure word) |
zhāng | measure word for flat objects |
tiáo | measure word for long things |
qún | group; measure word for groups |
bǎ | measure word for handled objects |
zhī | measure word for many animals and objects |
zhī | measure word for pens and sticks |
shù | measure word for bundles |
háng | row; line |
jià | measure word for vehicles and machines |
tái | measure word for machines |
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