scattered; sporadic; straggling
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 5 examplesadjective
scattered; sporadic; straggling
informalA reduplicative descriptive word (状态词) used to describe things that are irregularly dispersed or actions that occur intermittently over time. Often used in spoken language.
Tā他
bú不
huì会
tiāo挑
shuǐ水
，
lī哩
li哩
lā啦
lā啦
sǎ洒
le了
yī一
dì地
。
He didn't know how to carry water properly, so it spilled all over the ground in a scattered mess.
Yǔ雨
hěn很
dà大
，
kè客
rén人
lī哩
li哩
lā啦
lā啦
de的
zhí直
dào到
zhōng中
wǔ午
hái还
méi没
dào到
qí齐
。
The rain was heavy, and the guests arrived sporadically, not all assembled until noon.
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Dòu豆
zi子
cóng从
pò破
kǒu口
dai袋
lǐ里
lī哩
li哩
lā啦
lā啦
de地
lòu漏
le了
chū出
lái来
。
Beans leaked out sporadically from the torn bag.
Huì会
yì议
kāi开
le了
sān三
gè个
xiǎo小
shí时
，
rén人
men们
lī哩
li哩
lā啦
lā啦
de地
lí离
kāi开
。
The meeting lasted three hours, and people left in a straggling fashion.
Tā她
de的
bào报
gào告
lī哩
li哩
lā啦
lā啦
，
jiǎng讲
le了
hěn很
jiǔ久
cái才
shuō说
dào到
zhòng重
diǎn点
。
Her presentation was disjointed and sporadic; it took a long time before she got to the main point.