Dry and lacking in substance, whether referring to physical texture or conversational tone.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Describes something lacking moisture or juice.
- Used figuratively to mean boring or uninteresting.
- Commonly applied to food, writing, or speech.
1) 概述：干巴巴是一个叠词，生动地描绘了某种事物失去水分或生命力的状态。它在中文里不仅用于描述物理属性，还广泛用于评论交流质量。
2) 用法模式：该词通常作为形容词使用，置于名词前或作为谓语。例如，“干巴巴的面包”或“他的回答干巴巴的”。它强调的是一种“缺少润滑”、“缺乏吸引力”或“枯燥”的特质。
3) 常见语境：在描述食物时，指口感粗糙、不新鲜；在描述文学创作或谈话时，指内容空洞、缺乏感染力；在描述人的外貌或状态时，指皮肤干燥或神情呆滞。
4) 近义词辨析：与“枯燥”相比，“干巴巴”更具画面感和感官色彩，侧重于“干”的物理特征；与“生硬”相比，“干巴巴”更偏向于内容的平淡无味，而非态度上的强硬。
Examples
这块饼干干巴巴的，一点儿也不好吃。
everydayThis biscuit is dry and tastes bad.
他的演讲内容干巴巴的，听众都快睡着了。
formalHis speech was dull and boring; the audience was almost asleep.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
干巴巴地看着
Watch helplessly/dryly
Often Confused With
Refers specifically to boredom or monotony in tasks/life, lacking the physical 'dry' connotation.
Grammar Patterns
How to Use It
Usage Notes
This word is primarily used in spoken, informal Chinese. It is highly descriptive and conveys a sense of dissatisfaction. Use it when you want to highlight a lack of vitality or moisture.
Common Mistakes
Learners often use it to describe dry weather, which is incorrect; '干燥' should be used for weather. It is also not typically used to describe abstract concepts like 'boredom' in a philosophical sense.
Tips
Use for vivid descriptions
Use this word to make your Chinese sound more native when describing something that feels stale or uninteresting.
Avoid in formal settings
This is a colloquial term. Avoid using it in highly formal reports or academic papers.
Emphasizing the dry feeling
The repetition 'ba' emphasizes the lack of moisture, reflecting the Chinese tendency to use reduplication for descriptive emphasis.
Word Origin
Derived from the character '干' (dry) with the reduplicative suffix '巴巴' to emphasize the state of being completely lacking in moisture.
Cultural Context
Reflects the Chinese linguistic preference for sensory-based adjectives. It captures the essence of something that has lost its 'soul' or 'juice'.
Memory Tip
Imagine a dry desert landscape (dry) and a boring lecture (dull). Both are 'gan-ba-ba'!
Frequently Asked Questions
3 questions不是。它除了形容食物干枯，更多时候用于形容人的语言或文章内容空洞、缺乏感情色彩。
在描述食物时是客观描述，但在评价人的说话方式或写作时，通常带有否定含义，暗示对方表达得不够生动。
“干燥”是一个中性词，常用于气候或物理环境；“干巴巴”带有更强的感官色彩，形容程度更深，且更口语化。
Test Yourself
这块面包放太久了，吃起来___的。
面包放久了会失去水分，变得干燥，符合“干巴巴”的定义。
Score: /1
Summary
Dry and lacking in substance, whether referring to physical texture or conversational tone.
- Describes something lacking moisture or juice.
- Used figuratively to mean boring or uninteresting.
- Commonly applied to food, writing, or speech.
Use for vivid descriptions
Use this word to make your Chinese sound more native when describing something that feels stale or uninteresting.
Avoid in formal settings
This is a colloquial term. Avoid using it in highly formal reports or academic papers.
Emphasizing the dry feeling
The repetition 'ba' emphasizes the lack of moisture, reflecting the Chinese tendency to use reduplication for descriptive emphasis.
Examples
2 of 2这块饼干干巴巴的，一点儿也不好吃。
This biscuit is dry and tastes bad.
他的演讲内容干巴巴的，听众都快睡着了。
His speech was dull and boring; the audience was almost asleep.
Related Content
This Word in Other Languages
Related Vocabulary
More food words
一两
B1Fifty grams; a Chinese unit of weight (approx. 50g).
一斤
B1Half a kilogram; a Chinese unit of weight (approx. 500g).
一袋
B1A bag of.
少一点儿
A2A bit less.
多一点儿
A2A bit more.
一口
B1A mouthful; a bite; a small amount (of food or drink).
一瓶
B1A bottle of.
一碗
B1Measure word for a bowl of food.
一盒
B1A box of.
一杯
B1Measure word for a cup of liquid.
