▎著, zhe, (Ptc), repeated, as in V 著 V 著，就…了, (V zhe V zhe, jiù...le), while doing A, B happens (3)

 

Function This pattern refers to the meaning ‘just as A is going on, B happens’.

1 大家吃著吃著，新郎、新娘和他們的父母就來敬酒了。

Dàjiā chīzhe chīzhe, xīnláng, xīnniáng hé tāmen de fùmǔ jiù lái jìngjiǔ le.

Just as everybody was eating, the bride, the bridegroom, and their parents came over and offered a toast.

2 我們等著等著，喜宴就開始了。

Wǒmen děngzhe děngzhe, xǐyàn jiù kāishǐ le.

As we were waiting, the reception started.

3 我小時候每天看媽媽做飯，看著看著，就會了。

Wǒ xiǎo shíhòu měi tiān kàn māma zuòfàn, kànzhe kànzhe, jiù huì le.

When I was young, I watched my mother cook every day and by watching, I was able to do it.

 

Structures If the verb is transitive, its object must not be palced after the verb. It must be moved to the front to become a topic or is omitted if its identity is clear from the context.

1 這個歌，我聽著聽著，就會唱了。

Zhè ge gē, wǒ tīngzhe tīngzhe, jiù huì chàng le.

By listening to the song, I could sing it.

2 電視在介紹日本的風景，她看著看著就想家了。

Diànshì zài jièshào Rìběn de fēngjǐng, tā kànzhe kànzhe jiù xiǎng jiā le.

While watching a program about the beauty of Japan on TV, she started to miss home.

3 我在捷運上看書，看著看著，就忘了換車了。

Wǒ zài jiéyùn shàng kànshū, kànzhe kànzhe, jiù wàngle huàn chē le.

I was reading on the MRT and got so lost in his book that he forgot to change trains.