<p>Translated literally: please softly (轻) pick up (拿) and softly (轻) put down (放).</p>
<p>So the actual &quot;structure&quot; should be <strong>adv1 + verb1 + adv2 + verb2</strong> where <strong>verb1</strong> and <strong>verb2</strong> have some kind of connection and <strong>adv1</strong> happens to coincide with <strong>adv2</strong>. For example, 多(much)吃(eat)多(much)喝(drink), or 大(greatly)起(rise (in power or social status))大(greatly)落(fall).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-13T13:37:34.727Z
Thank you so much for your explanation!!! It helps clear the confusion ☺️
Agnes
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-12T14:22:49.063Z
2020-07-12T14:22:49.063Z
Vim
<p>This is a form of reduplication. However, the general form of reduplication depends on the word.</p>
<p>轻拿轻放 means someone picks up an item, and puts it down. The emphasis is on the gentleness of the action.</p>
<p>You could replace the 拿 with something else, but the 放 also needs to be replaced with something that is related to your substitute word. You could say “他轻手轻脚地走进房间。” 轻手轻脚 means that the person is <strong>trying to be quiet</strong> (i.e. gentle) when he enters the room.</p>
<p>The reduplication as mentioned above is ABAC. It can also be ACBC, for example. 大吃特吃 means “to eat voraciously”; this time, “eating” is emphasised, while 大 and 特 are used to “show” how the food is devoured.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-12T21:15:40.907Z
Suggest translate '拿放' as: 'pick up and put down (拿起，放下)
Tang Ho
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2020-07-13T13:36:41.897Z
Thank you so much for the explanation ✨ I truly appreciate it!!!
Agnes
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2020-07-13T13:37:01.190Z
@TangHo thank you for the suggestion! ☺️
Agnes
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-12T14:52:17.887Z
2020-07-12T23:15:28.017Z
2020-07-12T23:15:28.017Z
Axel Tong
<p>I was watching We Bare Bears on Netflix with Chinese subs and encountered this sentence:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>请轻拿轻放</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Which translated into “Please be careful (with this).”</p>
<p>I wonder what structure/grammar it is. Could someone please break it down? Is it some kind of reduplication? I have never seen such reduplication though. If yes, what does it imply? And can I replace 拿 with other words?</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-12T14:11:38.620Z
A拿AB is not a structure. 拿 and 放 form complementary verbs both described by whatever A is. Compare something like 多吃多喝.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-12T16:17:08.197Z
ABAC is a common pattern as indicated in the answer below.
dan
<grammar><sentence-structure>
Reduplication of adverb in Adv. + V1 + Adv. + V2 structure...?
# Reduplication of adverb in Adv. + V1 + Adv. + V2 structure...?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-07-12)

I was watching We Bare Bears on Netflix with Chinese subs and encountered this sentence:

> 请轻拿轻放

Which translated into “Please be careful (with this).”

I wonder what structure/grammar it is. Could someone please break it down? Is it some kind of reduplication? I have never seen such reduplication though. If yes, what does it imply? And can I replace 拿 with other words?

Thank you.

**Tags:** grammar, sentence-structure

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: A拿AB is not a structure. 拿 and 放 form complementary verbs both described by whatever A is. Compare something like 多吃多喝.  
> **username_2**: ABAC is a common pattern as indicated in the answer below.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2020-07-12. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

This is a form of reduplication. However, the general form of reduplication depends on the word.

轻拿轻放 means someone picks up an item, and puts it down. The emphasis is on the gentleness of the action.

You could replace the 拿 with something else, but the 放 also needs to be replaced with something that is related to your substitute word. You could say “他轻手轻脚地走进房间。” 轻手轻脚 means that the person is **trying to be quiet** (i.e. gentle) when he enters the room.

The reduplication as mentioned above is ABAC. It can also be ACBC, for example. 大吃特吃 means “to eat voraciously”; this time, “eating” is emphasised, while 大 and 特 are used to “show” how the food is devoured.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: Suggest translate '拿放' as: 'pick up and put down (拿起，放下)  
> **username_0**: Thank you so much for the explanation ✨ I truly appreciate it!!!  
> **username_0**: @TangHo thank you for the suggestion! ☺️  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-07-12. Score: 4

Translated literally: please softly (轻) pick up (拿) and softly (轻) put down (放).

So the actual "structure" should be **adv1 + verb1 + adv2 + verb2** where **verb1** and **verb2** have some kind of connection and **adv1** happens to coincide with **adv2**. For example, 多(much)吃(eat)多(much)喝(drink), or 大(greatly)起(rise (in power or social status))大(greatly)落(fall).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you so much for your explanation!!! It helps clear the confusion ☺️  

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