# 花花



## Hakkar

Hello everyone. I have just began learning Chinese and I'm wondering what this word means. Is it something like "little flower"? It is a story for HSK1 learners. Here I report the full story:

花花在医院，他是医生吗？


花花在饭店，他是服务员吗？


………
花花什么都不是。


花花是一只小猫。



Thank you so much for any help.


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## Lamb67

Dog dog is a boy's nickname whereas flower flower is a cat's nickname.


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## SuperXW

Lamb67 said:


> Dog dog is a boy's nickname...


Where's dog dog...?


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## Hakkar

So what is the meaning of character repetition?


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## Lamb67

To show endearment and affection in our case. see *叠词 here please *

How to Get and Use Chinese Nicknames


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## Skatinginbc

Morpheme reduplication in Chinese has many functions.  In the context you provided, it is to "_goo goo ga ga_", that is, to talk baby talk like English "_bye-bye_" (good bye), "_night-night_" (good night), and "_choo-choo_" (a locomotive train), thereby producing an effect of intimacy or "endearment and affection" (see #5).



Hakkar said:


> I'm wondering what this word means. Is it something like "little flower"?



As far as the meaning is concerned, I don't think the morpheme reduplication in this case (i.e., 花花) should be described as a diminutive that conveys the smallness of an object (e.g., "little flower") or a slighter degree of a quality.  In fact, 花花 as a word is often an augmentative, the opposite of a diminutive.  For example, 花花 in 花花草草 (花草紛繁茂盛), 花花綠綠 (顏色豔麗紛繁), and 花花絮絮 (雜多繽紛的樣子) denotes a multitude (多) or variety (繁) of flowers.  It is more like "Posy" (a girl's name meaning "a bunch of flowers") or "having varied color" (i.e., colorful) than "little flower".

My mental image of "花花 the cat" is _*multi-colored*_ or *multi-patterned*.


Lamb67 said:


> Dog dog is a boy's nickname whereas flower flower is a cat's nickname.


狗3狗0 is a diminutive, meaning "little dog."  花1花0 meaning "to spend a bit" (as in 要些錢花花0) is a diminutive, like 試4試0 and 嘗2嘗0.

花1花1 meaning "having many colors or patterns" is an augmentative, like 尋尋2覓覓4, 冷冷3清清1, 悽悽1慘慘3戚戚1.

I think "花花" as a name is often pronounced "hua1hua1" rather than "hua1hua0".


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## Hakkar

Thanks for your clear explanation, Skating. I noticed you typed 花1花0, is that because tones are different? Are the characters pronounced exactly the same in repetitions?


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## Skatinginbc

Hakkar said:


> I noticed you typed 花1花0, is that because tones are different?


Yes, in 花1花0 "little flower" (e.g., 我是一朵花1花0 "I'm a little flower.").


Hakkar said:


> Are the characters pronounced exactly the same in repetitions?


Yes, in 花1花1 "having many colors or patterns" (e.g., 小貓花1花1很好奇 "Posy the kitty is very curious.").


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## SuperXW

Hakkar said:


> So what is the meaning of character repetition?


Because it sounds cute.
Think about "mama, papa, pee pee..." All toddlers have the tendency to repeat a sound.


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## SuperXW

Skatinginbc said:


> Yes, in 花1花0 "little flower" (e.g., 我是一朵花1花0 "I'm a little flower.").


???
Shouldn't 花1花0 mean "to spend a bit"?
For the childish talk "flower", it is still commonly 花1花1, rarely 花1花0.


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## Skatinginbc

每日头条: 我是一朵花花，我要接受阳光。==> I would pronounce 花1花0, like 我要吃果3果0, 是什麼東1東0 (= 是什麼東1西0)


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## SuperXW

Skatinginbc said:


> 每日头条: 我是一朵花花，我要接受阳光。==> I would pronounce 花1花0, like 我要吃果3果0, 是什麼東1東0 (= 是什麼東1西0)
> View attachment 57204


We don't need to compare 花花 with 果果 as the rules for third tone are clearly different.
For 花花 and 东东, most Chinese I know pronounce 11.


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## Skatinginbc

Yes, you are right.  It would still be 11 like 我是小猪1猪1.


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## brofeelgood

有的还小猪3猪2呢, c.f. 马痲 and 美眉.


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## Skatinginbc

brofeelgood said:


> 有的还小猪3猪2呢, c.f. 马痲 and 美眉.


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## SuperXW

brofeelgood said:


> 有的还小猪3猪2呢, c.f. 马痲 and 美眉.


还有爸4爸0，爸3爸1，爸3爸2，粑3粑0，爸3爸2~4~2~4……


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