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Expressing 'slowly' or 'tardily' with 迟迟 (chíchí)
Manner & Method
Time Expressions
Structure
迟迟 + Verb
Explanation
The reduplicated word 迟迟 (chíchí) means "slowly," "tardily," or "for a long time without action." It emphasizes delay or reluctance and is often used in literary or formal contexts. For example, 迟迟不归 means "to be slow to return" or "to delay one's return for a long time."
Examples
他迟迟不肯做出决定，大家都很着急。
tā chíchí bù kěn zuòchū juédìng, dàjiā dōu hěn zhāojí.
He kept delaying his decision, and everyone was very anxious.
春天迟迟不来，田里的庄稼还没发芽。
chūntiān chíchí bù lái, tián lǐ de zhuāngjia hái méi fāyá.
Spring was late in coming, and the crops in the fields had not yet sprouted.
她等了很久，回复迟迟没有到来。
tā děng le hěn jiǔ, huífù chíchí méiyǒu dàolái.
She waited a long time, but the reply was slow to arrive.