Using "zhe" when "verbing away"

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A repeated verb followed by the particle 着 (zhe) is used to show that an action has be repeated for a period of time, and as a result a new situation has arisen which the speaker wishes to comment on.


Verb + 着 + Verb + 着 + 就 + Comment + 了


  • 说着 说着 我 就 发现 自己 也 糊涂 了。Shuōzhe shuōzhe wǒ jiù fāxiàn zìjǐ yě hútu le.I was talking and talking, and then I confused myself.
  • 我 今天 一直 都 在 看 语法 的 书， 看着 看着，就 睡着 了。Wǒ jīntiān yīzhí dōu zài kàn yǔfǎ de shū, kànzhe kànzhe, jiù shuìzháo le.Today, I was constantly studying the grammar books. As I was studying, I fell asleep.
  • 我 在 北京 的 胡同 里 走 着 走 着 就 走丢 了。Wǒ zài Běijīng de hútòng lǐ zǒuzhe zǒuzhe jiù zǒu diū le.As I was walking in one of Beijing's back roads, I got lost.
  • 玩 着 玩 着 游戏，就 把 时间 忘了。wánzhe wánzhe yóuxì, jiù bǎ shíjiān wàngle.I played and played and played, and I forgot the time.
  • 听 着 听 着 歌，就 唱 起来 了。tīngzhe tīngzhe gē, jiù chàng qǐláile.I listened and sang, and I began to sing.
  • 两 个 人 吃 着 吃 着 饭，就 吵 起来 了。Liǎng gèrén chīzhe chīzhe fàn, jiù chǎo qǐláile.We ate and ate, and then we quarreled.
  • 写 着 写 着 ，就 发现 办公室 大家 都 走 了。Xiězhe xiězhe, jiù fāxiàn bàngōngshì dàjiā dōu zǒule.As we wrote, we realized that everyone in the office had left.
  • 今天 在 家 录 视频， 录 着 录 着 ，天 都 已经 黑 了。Jīntiān zàijiā lù shìpín, lùzhe lùzhe, tiān dōu yǐjīng hēile.Today, I recorded a video at home, and as I did so, it was already dark.
  • 喝 着 喝 着 ，从 酒 里面 喝 出来 一 根 头发。Hēzhe hēzhe, cóng jiǔ lǐmiàn hē chūlái yī gēn tóufǎ.I drank and drank and drank and drank, and a hair came out of the wine.
  • 上 着 上 着 课，就 听到 外面 有 人 叫 我。shàngzhe shàngzhe kè, jiù tīng dào wàimiàn yǒurén jiào wǒ.As I was going to class, I heard someone calling me outside.

See also

Sources and further reading