V + 了又 + V (repeated action)

• Pinyin: yòu
• Formation: Subj. + Verb + 了 + 又 + Verb，还是 / 就是 ……
• Hanzi breakdown: 又 = pictograph of a right hand, extended to mean 'again' or 'also'

Meaning

Expresses that an action has been repeated multiple times, typically followed by 还是 or 就是 to indicate that the outcome remains unchanged despite the repetition. The structure V + 了 + 又 + V emphasizes persistence and often implies frustration or determination.

This advanced pattern of 又 goes beyond its basic meaning of 'again' by embedding it within a repeated-verb structure that highlights iterative effort. The first verb marks the initial attempt with 了 indicating completion, and 又 plus the same verb shows the action was done once more. The continuation clause with 还是 ('still') or 就是 ('simply/just') reveals that the repeated effort did not change the result. This pattern is highly expressive in both spoken and written Chinese, conveying emotions ranging from helplessness to admiration for persistence. It commonly appears in narrative and descriptive contexts, and is distinct from simple 又 + V which merely states something happened again without the iterative nuance.

Examples

1. 他想了又想，还是决定放弃这次机会。 He thought it over again and again but still decided to give up this opportunity.
2. 这篇文章我改了又改，就是不满意。 I revised this article over and over but just couldn't be satisfied with it.
3. 她试了又试，还是没能打开那扇门。 She tried again and again but still couldn't open that door.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: emphatic

Do Say

• 他犹豫了又犹豫，最后还是没敢开口。
• 这道题算了又算，就是算不出正确答案。
• 妈妈叮嘱了又叮嘱，我才出发去火车站。

Don't Say

• 他想又想了，还是放弃了。(了 must come between the two identical verbs, not after the second one — the structure is V + 了 + 又 + V) → 他想了又想，还是放弃了。
• 她看了又看了电影。(This pattern requires the same verb repeated without an object between them — place the object before or after the entire structure) → 那部电影她看了又看。

Origin & History

The character 又 originally depicted a right hand in oracle bone script and later developed the meaning of 'again.' The V + 了 + 又 + V pattern emerged as a rhetorical device in modern Chinese to emphasize repeated and often futile effort.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal