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Can I use 又 to express more than two properties that something has?

I know this is ok:

這個貓又快又好看。 (This cat is fast and good looking.)

But can I write?:

這個貓又快又好看又很高興。 (This cat is fast, good looking and very happy.)

Or should I rather use write it with comma?:

這個貓快、好看也很高興

2
  • "汉英虚词词典"又。。。又。。。[格式]嵌入动词、形容词或短语,表示几种动作、性质或状况同时存在:8。老头儿笑了,笑声~尖,~细,~长。(白桦[啊,古老的航道])
    – user6065
    Jan 19, 2018 at 6:49
  • Isn't it 这只猫? In places where Traditional Chinese is used, is it 个?
    – Blaszard
    Mar 29, 2018 at 6:04

5 Answers 5

1

There is a set phrase in Cantonese which goes:

又平又靓又正

ABC Canto defines it as:

STATIVE VERB

(for goods or services) to be not only cheap and attractive, but also good-quality; to be not only cheap and nice-looking, but also reliable

and gives the examples:

其實呢度都幾好買,啲衫又平又靚又正

kei4 sat6 ni1 dou6 dou1 gei2 hou2 maai5, di1 saam1 jau6 peng4 jau6 leng3 jau6 zeng3

In fact buying here is quite good, the clothes are not only cheap and attractive, but also good-quality

大陸人好鍾意嚟香港買嘢,係因為啲嘢又平又靚又正㗎

daai6 luk6 jan4 hou2 zung1 ji3 lai4 hoeng1 gong2 maai5 je5, hai6 jan1 wai6 di1 je5 jau6 peng4 jau6 leng3 jau6 zeng3 gaa3

China-mainlanders like to come to Hong Kong to buy things, it's because the things are not only cheap and nice-looking, but also reliable

Which should go to show that more than two 又s is okay.

——

The issue you have with your example sentence that people are trying to correct you on is that the descriptors surrounded by the 又s need to go together.

Fast and good looking is lacking any sort of logical connection.

You could say: fast and nimble or good looking and cute.

——

Slightly unrelated but you might want to know:

There’s also the new expression:

又双叒叕

you4 shuang1 ruo4 zhuo2 -or- you4 you4 you4 you4 you4 you4 you4 you4 you4 you4

To express that somethings happened yet again.

Here’s a headline from the recent news:

Windows10免费升级又双叒叕延期了

1

這個貓又快又好看 means 'this cat is fast and the running action is good looking'

This cat is fast and good looking should be 这只猫跑得快长得又好看.

Your question:

这只猫又胖又可爱. or 这只猫又快又灵活 is right, either describe the same property.

If you want to add more..

这只猫又胖又可爱, 同时还很白, 并且眼睛很漂亮, 而且还很傲娇、礼貌、黏人、聪明、...

Compare it to this

这只猫又胖又可爱又白又漂亮又傲娇、礼貌、黏人、聪明, which sounds a little naive, usually used by children。

1

[又 X 又 Y] is a common structure for [X also Y] or [X but Y]

For [X also Y] structure, X and Y have to have similar property, usually both positive or negative adjective (or adjectival phrase). For example: 又快又準, 又慢又不凖; 又高又瘦, 又矮又肥

For [X but Y] structure, X and Y have to be verb or adjective that contradict each other . For example: 又想又怕; 又要臉又孤寒. And you can only use two 又 here

It is grammatically acceptable to extend the [X also Y] structure and use more than two 又 as long as the third one also follow the pattern. For example: 又高又瘦又漂亮

But too many 又 in one phrase would sound awkward, therefore 又便宜又好用又好看又不佔地方 is usually rephrased as "便宜, 好用, 好看又不佔地方"

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This cat is fast and good looking.

I am not sure if it's a good writing in English.

But I would write it like: This cat runs fast and has good looking. In Chinese: 这只猫跑得快,长得也漂亮。

I don't think 又... 又... structure is suitable for this context. Usually, the structure is used when the two properties share the same verb. For example, 她长得又高, 又瘦。; 他的字写得又快, 又好看。

You can also use the structure when you describe more than two properties. For example, 她人长得又高,又瘦,又漂亮。

0

Sure you can,both are right.but you also can use 不仅……而且(又)……(还……).Which means like "more than". Like 这只猫不仅快而且(又)好看还高兴,or 这只猫既快又好看还高兴.They mean the same.

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