Usage of 偏偏
偏偏 is an adverb used to express that something happens contrary to expectations or wishes, often with a sense of frustration or irony. It highlights an outcome that is inconvenient or unfortunate, emphasizing the contrast between what was expected and what actually occurred.
Common contexts
It frequently appears in sentences where the speaker wants to stress that despite efforts or intentions, the opposite or an unfavorable result happened. For example, telling someone not to do something, but they do it anyway.
Collocations and patterns
- 偏偏 + verb: emphasizes the unexpected or contrary action (e.g., 偏偏来了, 'unfortunately came')
- 明明...偏偏...: contrasts a clear fact with an unexpected outcome
Nuance and register
偏偏 carries a slightly informal tone and is common in spoken Mandarin. It often conveys mild annoyance or irony but can also be neutral depending on context.
Common confusion
Do not confuse 偏偏 with 偏 (piān) alone, which means 'inclined' or 'partial.' 偏偏 is a fixed adverbial phrase with a specific pragmatic function, not just a repetition of the character's meaning.
Usage of 偏偏
偏偏 is an adverb used to express that something happens contrary to expectations or wishes, often with a sense of frustration or irony. It highlights an outcome that is inconvenient or unfortunate, emphasizing the contrast between what was expected and what actually occurred.
Common contexts
It frequently appears in sentences where the speaker wants to stress that despite efforts or intentions, the opposite or an unfavorable result happened. For example, telling someone not to do something, but they do it anyway.
Collocations and patterns
- 偏偏 + verb: emphasizes the unexpected or contrary action (e.g., 偏偏来了, 'unfortunately came')
- 明明...偏偏...: contrasts a clear fact with an unexpected outcome
Nuance and register
偏偏 carries a slightly informal tone and is common in spoken Mandarin. It often conveys mild annoyance or irony but can also be neutral depending on context.
Common confusion
Do not confuse 偏偏 with 偏 (piān) alone, which means 'inclined' or 'partial.' 偏偏 is a fixed adverbial phrase with a specific pragmatic function, not just a repetition of the character's meaning.
Usage of 偏偏
偏偏 is an adverb used to express that something happens contrary to expectations or wishes, often with a sense of frustration or irony. It highlights an outcome that is inconvenient or unfortunate, emphasizing the contrast between what was expected and what actually occurred.
Common contexts
It frequently appears in sentences where the speaker wants to stress that despite efforts or intentions, the opposite or an unfavorable result happened. For example, telling someone not to do something, but they do it anyway.
Collocations and patterns
- 偏偏 + verb: emphasizes the unexpected or contrary action (e.g., 偏偏来了, 'unfortunately came')
- 明明...偏偏...: contrasts a clear fact with an unexpected outcome
Nuance and register
偏偏 carries a slightly informal tone and is common in spoken Mandarin. It often conveys mild annoyance or irony but can also be neutral depending on context.
Common confusion
Do not confuse 偏偏 with 偏 (piān) alone, which means 'inclined' or 'partial.' 偏偏 is a fixed adverbial phrase with a specific pragmatic function, not just a repetition of the character's meaning.