Chinese word

白白

Pronunciation

Pinyinbái bái

Meaning

  • adverbin vain

Example

别让孩子的努力白白浪费了。bié ràng hái zi de nǔ lì bái bái làng fèi le

Don't let the child's efforts go to waste.

Illustration for 白白 (in vain)

More examples

你别为这件小事白白努力了，换个方法试试。nǐ bié wèi zhè jiàn xiǎo shì bái bái nǔ lì le huàn gè fāng fǎ shì shì

Do not keep working hard in vain on this small matter; try another method.

Core concept

Something is spent, done, or given, yet the expected result or payment never appears.

Common phrases

  • 白白努力bái bái nǔ lì

    strive in vain

  • 白白浪费时间bái bái làng fèi shí jiān

    waste time in vain

Similar words

白费bái fèi: Describes time, effort, or resources spent without producing a useful result.
徒劳tú láo: Describes effort that proves fruitless and brings no desired outcome.
枉然wǎng rán: Describes an attempt that ends in vain because the hoped-for result is not achieved.
徒然tú rán: Describes an action that has no effect and ends pointlessly.

Definition in Chinese

表示某个动作或付出毫无结果或成效，常作状语出现在口语中，后接动词或短语，如“白白浪费”“白白付出”。biǎo shì mǒu gè dòng zuò huò fù chū háo wú jié guǒ huò chéng xiào cháng zuò zhuàng yǔ chū xiàn zài kóu yǔ zhōng hòu jiē dòng cí huò duán yǔ rú bái bái làng fèi bái bái fù chū

Word origin

白白 (báibái, "in vain") is formed from 白 (bái, "white") + 白 (bái, "white"); the older sense of 白 meaning "for nothing" develops into an adverb for wasted effort or a fruitless action.

Usage tips

  • The word describes the outcome of an action or exchange, not the intention behind it, so it can sound neutral in reports as well as regretful complaints.

Other meanings

  • for freeadverb

Opposites

  • 有意义地yǒu yì yì dìmeaningfullyadverb

Word lists with this word