Chinese–EnglishWith examples

白白

bái bái · bai bai

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 7–9

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. in vain
  2. to no purpose
  3. for nothing
  4. white
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In a conversation

0:19 cartoon

Queue for nothing

  1. Liangliang

    我们(wǒmen)排(pái)了(le)一个(yīgè)小时(xiǎoshí)的(de)队(duì)，白白(báibái)等(děng)了(le)。

    We queued for an hour. We waited for nothing.

  2. Dengdeng

    怎么(zěnme)了(le)？

    What happened?

  3. Liangliang

    老板(lǎobǎn)说(shuō)，今天(jīntiān)的(de)糖葫芦(tánghúlu)卖完(màiwán)了(le)。

    The owner said today's candied haws are sold out.

  4. Dengdeng

    白白(báibái)排队(páiduì)，太(tài)可惜(kěxī)了(le)。

    Queuing for nothing is such a pity.

  5. Liangliang

    没关系(méiguānxi)，隔壁(gébì)的(de)烤红薯(kǎohóngshǔ)摊(tān)一个(yīgè)人(rén)也(yě)没有(méiyǒu)。

    Never mind. The roasted sweet potato stand next door has no one at all.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

我(wǒ)们(men)白(bái)白(bái)等(děng)了(le)一(yí)个(gè)下(xià)午(wǔ)，他(tā)也(yě)没(méi)来(lái)。

We waited all afternoon for nothing, and he never came.

02

这(zhè)些(xiē)菜(cài)白(bái)白(bái)浪(làng)费(fèi)了(le)，真(zhēn)可(kě)惜(xī)。

These dishes were wasted for nothing; what a pity.

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Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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