HSK · Level 55
105 words
Chinese word
整整
Pronunciation
Pinyinzhěng zhěng
Meaning
- adverbfull
Example
他等了整整一小时。tā děng le zhéng zhěng yì xiǎo shí
He waited a full hour.
More examples
会议整整开了三小时。huì yì zhéng zhěng kāi le sān xiǎo shí
The meeting lasted a full three hours.
Core concept
A measured amount reaching its stated boundary, with no part of the whole left out.
Common phrases
整整一小时zhéng zhěng yì xiǎo shí
a full hour
整整三天zhéng zhěng sān tiān
a full three days
Similar words
正好zhèng hǎo: Shows that a time, amount, or situation is exactly right or suitable.
刚好gāng hǎo: Shows that a time or amount happens to be exactly right.
足足zú zú: Emphasizes that a large amount or long period is fully reached, often with surprise or complaint.
至少zhì shǎo: Sets a lower limit, meaning that the amount or degree is no less than stated.
Definition in Chinese
作为副词，常位于数字或时间词前，表示数量或时长达到一个完整的整数或全部，强调整个数目或整段时间的充足与确定，常用于口语。zuò wéi fù cí cháng wèi yú shù zì huò shí jiān cí qián biǎo shì shù liàng huò shí cháng dá dào yí gè wán zhěng de zhěng shù huò quán bù qiáng diào zhěng gè shù mù huò zhěng duàn shí jiān de chōng zú yǔ què dìng cháng yòng yú kóu yǔ
Word origin
整整 (zhěngzhěng, "full; exactly") develops from repeating 整 (zhěng, "complete"), so the idea of completeness becomes especially prominent with a number or span of time.
Usage tips
- The word is useful when a speaker wants a quantity to sound substantial rather than approximate, which differs from English wording that may leave this emphasis unstated.
Other meanings
- exactlyadverb
Opposites
- 差不多chà bu duōalmostadverb
- 大约dà yuēapproximatelyadverb
Related words
- 整理zhéng lǐorganizeverb
- 整顿zhěng dùnreorganizeverb