Exploring “Stir-Stir” (Rere 惹惹)
从“惹惹”说开去
Exploring “Stir-Stir” (Rere 惹惹)
In Tianjin, the term “Stir-Stir” (Rěrě惹惹)is used to describe someone who is constantly stirring things up, meddling around, and not attending to serious matters. It reflects a sense of aimless or disruptive behavior. For instance, the famous stand-up comedian Gao Yingpei, in his crosstalk performance "Fishing," describes a character, the father of Erzi, who is always involved in trivial thingsand meddles in everything. Gao says, “He never does anything serious all day, always meddling and stirring things up, wanting to hang around the performs and ‘stir-stir-stir.’”
Similarly, Feng Jicai's also mentions in his work "Yin-Yang Eight Trigams”: “Why bother with him? Stirring up trouble, meddling around, adding chaos rather than help.” In these lines, “stir-stir” (Rere” is spoke in authentic Tianjin dialect, meaning to fool around and cause trouble without doing anything proper. The first “re” is pronounced with a rising tone, and the second “re” is pronounced in a light tone.
In Tianjin dialect, the playful term “Rerere” (惹惹惹)with its three repeated syllables refers specifically to an idle meddler with nothing better to do:
“He’s got one word, three tones—‘rerere.’”
“Rerere, banging a broken gong. A star of jars, luoluo gang, selling raw ginger.”
Tianjin dialect features many reduplicated words,. The repetition of identical syllables creates a distinctive sound effect that can evoke unique auditory associations for the listener, making expressions vivid and enhancing the effectiveness of the language.
- AABB-style expressions:
Zhīzhī wāiwāi (吱吱歪歪) – "Squeakily crooked" – Describes being reluctant while secretly complaining.
Jiàjià léngléng (架架棱棱) – "Awkwardly angled" – Refers to someone who is awkward or unnatural.
Sháosháo dāodāo (勺勺叨叨) – "Spoonfully nagging" – Describes someone who is verbose and unable to get to the point.
Sùsù jìngjìng (素素静静) – "Plainly quiet" – Describes colors that are not bright or flavors that are mild, extended to mean a peaceful and stable life.
Lěilěi bābā (累累巴巴) – "Tiredly slumped" – Describes someone looking tired.
Niānniān gāgā (蔫蔫嘎嘎) – "Wilted and quiet" – Describes a person who is introverted and quiet.
Mómó dādā (磨磨嗒嗒) – "Grindingly shy" – Describes someone feeling embarrassed or awkward.
Jījī suōsuō (唧唧缩缩) – "Squeakily shrinking" – Describes someone who appears shabby or seedy.
Làilài bābā (赖赖巴巴) – "Listlessly dragging" – Describes someone who looks listless or dispirited.
Pàngpàng dādā (胖胖哒哒) – "Plump and soft" – Describes someone who is chubby.
Jiāngjiāng gāgā (将将嘎嘎) – "Justly exact" – Describes something that is just right, neither too much nor too little.
Bèngbèng dādā (蹦蹦跶跶) – "Hopping and skipping" – Describes something that is intermittent or not continuous.
Kōukōu suōsuō (抠抠唆唆) – "Stingily scraping" – Describes someone who is stingy when it comes to spending money.
Yìyì zhèngzhèng (癔癔症症) – "Hysterically drowsy" – Describes someone who looks groggy or dazed just after waking up.
- AA-Pattern Expressions:
Chénchén (沉沉) - "sink-sink" — to put something aside or wait.
"Don't rush; let it sink-sink in and we’ll talk about it later." (別急，沉沉再說。)
Dàidài (帶帶) - "wipe-wipe" — to wipe or clean.
"San, quickly wipe-wipe the table while you're at it." (三兒，順手把桌子帶帶。)
Huòhuò (禍禍) - "break-break" — to break or ruin something.
"He broke-broke that toy in no time." (他把那玩具三下兩下就禍禍壞了。)
Chāochāo (吵吵) - "noise-noise" — noisy or clamorous.
"You all keep making noise-noise; can’t you let people sleep?" (你們吵吵個沒完，還讓不讓人睡了。)
Diāndiān (掂掂) - "weigh-weigh" — to weigh or consider something.
"Weigh-weigh what this statement means." (你掂掂這話的意思。)
Qùqù (去去) - "go-go" — words used to mediate, meaning "let it go" or "don’t mind."
"He didn’t mean any harm, just let it go-go!" (他不是有意要使壞，去去吧!)
Dēdē (嘚嘚) - "nag-nag" — to nag.
"Stop nag-nagging endlessly; it’s really annoying." (你別嘚嘚個沒完，真煩人。)
Fānfān (翻翻) - "going on-on" — to go on and on (usually criticizing).
"Be lenient when possible; stop going on-on about it." (得饒人處且饒人，別翻翻了。)
Dáodáo (捯捯) - "recall-recall" — to recall or remember.
"I almost forgot about this; I need to recall-recall it." (這事我快忘了，我得捯捯。)
Mómó (磨磨) - "wander-wander" — to wander around aimlessly.
"After dinner, he wants to wander-wander by the river." (晚飯後，他要去河邊磨磨。)
Chūchū (出出) - "stir-stir" — to provoke or stir up.
"He likes to stir-stir, causing discord between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law." (都是他喜歡出出，鬧得婆媳不睦。)
- A-er A-er pattern
In Chinese, the suffix “儿 (er)” often functions as a diminutive or endearing particle, adding a sense of casualness, affection, or colloquialism to the word. It can modify the tone or meaning of the word, making it more informal or expressive.
Chōuer chōuer (抽兒抽兒) - "shrink-shrink" — to shrink or become smaller.
"The clothes shrank-shrank after being washed." (衣服一下水抽兒抽兒了。)
Bāer bāer (吧兒吧兒) - "talk-talk" — describes someone who is articulate, sweet-talking, or good at coaxing.
"She’s sweet-talking, always saying things that are talk-talk." (小嘴兒倍兒甜，那話說得吧兒吧兒的。)
Sōuer sōuer (颼兒颼兒) - "whoosh-whoosh" — describes a cool breeze blowing.
"The wind in September is blowing whoosh-whoosh." (九月的風颼兒颼兒的。)
Liūer liūer (溜兒溜兒) - "long-long" — refers to something taking a long time.
"I waited for her long-long all morning." (我溜兒溜兒地等了她一個早上。)
Mēner mēner (悶兒悶兒) - "sorrow-sorrow" — feeling deeply sad.
"She was crying sorrow-sorrow after hearing the sad ending." (她聽到這個傷心的結局，哭得悶兒悶兒的。)
Kōuer kōuer (瞘兒瞘兒) - "sunken-sunken" — describes deeply sunken eyes.
"After staying up several nights, his eyes were sunken-sunken." (熬了幾個晚上，他的眼睛瞘兒瞘兒的。)
Biāner biāner (邊兒邊兒) - "age-age" — describes people of similar age.
"Her brother and your son are age-age." (她兄弟和你家三兒邊兒邊兒大。)
Bèier bèier (貝兒貝兒) - "silly-silly" — a term for a foolish or naive person.
"She’s just a silly-silly, don’t take her words seriously." (她就是個傻貝兒貝兒，她的話別計較。)
- ABB-PatternExpressions
Dǎ wāiwāi (打歪歪) - "hit-wobble-wobble" — to cause trouble or disrupt, making things impossible to accomplish.
"If it weren’t for him hitting wobble-woble, this would have been done." (要不是他在一邊兒打歪歪，這事兒能辦成。)
Dǎ liánlián (打連連) - "hit-together-together" — to mess around or hang out irresponsibly with others.
"After dropping out of middle school, she started hit-together-together with street delinquents, and now she’s turned bad." (她初中輟學後，跟街上一幫遊蕩的混混兒打連連，如今變壞了。)
Dǎ wāwā (打哇哇) - "hit-babble-babble" — to say something casually that doesn’t mean anything or shouldn’t be taken seriously.
"She was hit-babbling-babbling casually; she won’t keep her word." (她那是隨口打哇哇，不兌現的。)
Dǎ dēdē (打嘚嘚) - "hit-shiver-shiver" — to shiver uncontrollably from cold or fear.
"In the January cold wind, he was hit-shiver-shiver uncontrollably." (一月的寒風裏，他凍得直打嘚嘚。)
Feng Jicai, known for his mastery in writing novels in the Tianjin dialect, often uses reduplicated words in his works to achieve literary effects.
“Tao’er woke up several times during the night. Through the crack in the window, she saw a single lonely oil lamp in the front hall and Xianglian’s “solitary-solitary lonely-lonely” shadow.” (Three-Inch Golden Lotus)
(孤孤 - "solitary-solitary", 孤零零 - "lonely-lonely")
“When Xianglian got up and left the room, she intended to press down on Bai Jinbao with the butterflies on her shoes. As she lifted her skirt, the butterflies were exposed, but her two feet were “unsteady-unsteady awkward-awkward sticking-sticking”, half-exposed like the barbs of a fish, pointing out with two sharp ends.” (Three-Inch Golden Lotus)
(乍乍虎虎 - "unsteady-unsteady awkward-awkward", 支支楞楞 - "sticking-sticking")
“Bai Jinbao sat on the stool, resting his ankle on his other leg. He gently lifted the edge of his skirt, revealing his “golden-golden crescent-crescent” bound feet. Everyone stood up, staring intently without blinking.” (Three-Inch Golden Lotus)
(金煌煌 - "golden-golden", 月彎彎 - "crescent-crescent")
“These words made Rerere feel awkward, as if he was hiding something. He “stammered-stammered mumbled-mumbled” in response, ‘I’m not feeling too well.’” (Yin-Yang Eight Trigrams)
(支支吾吾 - "stammered-stammered", 磕磕巴巴 - "mumbled-mumbled")
“His black robe, black trousers, and shoes were “loose-loose roomy-roomy relaxed-relaxed comfortable-comfortable”, all single-layered.” (Yin-Yang Eight Trigrams)
(寬寬綽綽 - "loose-loose roomy-roomy", 鬆鬆快快 - "relaxed-relaxed comfortable-comfortable")
从“惹惹”说开去
天津著名相声演员高英培在相声《钓鱼》里说了一个整天不干正事，到处掺和事儿的二子他爸爸，说他“整天没正文儿，凑到一起，瞎惹惹”，想和相声演员“掺乎掺乎，惹惹惹惹”。冯骥才在《阴阳八卦》里也有：“找他干嘛，瞎惹惹，乱掺和，再来个不干正事的，是添忙还是添乱?”。这两句话里的“惹惹”是地道的天津话，意思是不办正事，瞎胡闹的意思，第一个“惹”读阳平(第二声)，第二个“惹”读轻声。
天津话的俏皮话里“惹惹惹”三个叠音字，用作名词，专指无所事事的好事之徒：
“他呀，一个字儿三音----惹惹惹”
“惹惹惹，敲破锣;罗罗缸，卖生姜”
天津话的叠音词比较多，相同音节的重叠复沓，语音效果就比较特殊，容易给读者带来听觉上的特殊联想，同时是表达生动形象，增加语言的表达效果。常见的形式有： AABB式
吱吱歪歪----形容不情愿而私下埋怨
架架棱棱----不得体、不自然的样子
勺勺叨叨----说话啰嗦、说不到点子上
素素静静----形容颜色不鲜艳或味觉清淡，引申为生活平和安稳
累累巴巴----形容疲劳的样子
蔫蔫嘎嘎----形容性格内向、少言寡语的样子
磨磨嗒嗒----形容不好意思、难为情的样子
唧唧缩缩----形容寒酸猥琐的样子
赖赖巴巴----形容无精打采的样子
胖胖哒哒----形容胖乎乎的样子
将将嘎嘎----不多不少刚刚好
蹦蹦跶跶----断断续续，不连贯
抠抠唆唆----拿出钱财时候小气吝啬的样子
癔癔症症----刚睡醒迷迷糊糊的样子
AA式
沉沉----指把事情放一放，等一等。如:别急，沉沉再说。
带带----擦拭。如：三儿，顺手把桌子带带。
祸祸----把东西弄坏了。如：他把那玩具三下两下就祸祸坏了。
吵吵----嘈杂、喧闹。如：你们吵吵个没完，还让不让人睡了。
掂掂----权衡琢磨比较一下。如：你掂掂这话的意思。
去去----劝和的话，表示“算了”“不计较”的意思。如：他不是有意要使坏，去去吧!
嘚嘚----唠叨。如：你别嘚嘚个没完，真烦人。
翻翻----喋喋不休。如：得饶人处且饶人，别翻翻了。
捯捯----回忆。如：这事我快忘了，我得捯捯。
磨磨----无目的地绕圈走。如：晚饭后，他要去河边磨磨。
出出----挑唆。如：都是他喜欢出出，闹得婆媳不睦。
A儿A儿式
抽儿抽儿----缩小、变小。如：衣服一下水抽儿抽儿了。
吧儿吧儿----会说话，嘴甜，会糊弄人。如：小嘴儿倍儿甜，那话说得吧儿吧儿的。
飕儿飕儿----风凉吹人。如：九月的风飕儿飕儿的。
溜儿溜儿----指时间长。如：我溜儿溜儿地等了她一个早上。
闷儿闷儿----十分伤心。如;她听到这个伤心的结局，哭得闷儿闷儿的。
眍儿眍儿----眼睛深陷眼框里。如：熬了几个晚上，他的眼睛眍儿眍儿的。
边儿边儿----年龄相仿。如：她兄弟和你家三儿边儿边儿大。
贝儿贝儿----傻宝贝。如：她就是个傻贝儿贝儿，她的话别计较。
ABB式
打歪歪----捣乱，使办不成事儿。如：要不是他在一边儿打歪歪，这事儿能办成。
打连连----在一起胡闹胡混。如：她初中辍学后，跟街上一帮游荡的混混儿打连连，如今变坏了。
打哇哇----随口一说的话，不能做数。如：她那是随口打哇哇，不兑现的。
打嘚嘚----冻得或吓得瑟瑟发抖。如：一月的寒风里，他冻得直打嘚嘚。
以擅长书写天津方言小说的冯骥才，在小说中更是处处用叠声词来达到文学的表达效果。
桃儿夜里几次醒来，透过窗缝看见前厅孤孤一盏油灯前，香莲孤零零孤单单影儿。(《三寸金莲》
香莲起身走出屋时，本打算拿鞋上的那对蝴蝶 压压白金宝，一提裙腰，蝴蝶露出来了，可两只脚乍乍虎 虎支支楞楞，有露没藏赛叉鱼的叉子，劈着两个大尖。 (《三寸金莲》)
白金宝坐在凳上，把脚腕子撂在另一条腿上，轻轻一掀裙边，将金煌煌月弯弯小脚露出来，众人全站起身，不错眼盯着看。(《三寸金莲》)
这话反叫惹惹发窘，倒好在自己有嘛亏心事，支支吾吾磕磕巴巴应付一句: “我身子不大舒服。”( 《阴阳八卦》)
皂袍皂裤鞋宽宽绰绰松松快快，全是单的。 (《阴阳八卦》)
