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Change log entry 49713
Processed by: goldyn_chyld (2013-08-16 09:57:53 UTC)
Comment: << review queue entry 46559 - submitted by 'richwarm' >>
[ycandau, after seeing the new entry for 意思意思]
this sounds to me like a verbal thing, v+o
略表心意
表示心意
"to give a small token..."

[richwarm]
[...] I suppose it's a verb in M's definition too, isn't it?
象徵性的表示一下。如:「這種場合送對花籃意思意思就可以了。」

And it doesn't seem to make sense as a noun in J's
她要走了, 咱们送她一条丝巾意思意思。

I also found this on the Web
前女友要过生日了 该不该意思意思什么的

How about "/to give as a small token/to do sth as a gesture of goodwill etc/"?

[and later ...]
The only definition I found in a CE dictionary at the time I processed was ABC's ~ "as a mere token".
That is, they render it as an adverbial phrase.
I dare say xx did get his "just a token" by tweaking ABC's def.
But "mere token" really sounds like something deprecatory (as if it were not really intended as a gesture of goodwill), so I don't think "as a mere token" is very good at all.

But anyway, since I received your reply just now, I have looked up NC and NA and they do in fact define 意思 as a verb for one of the six senses they ascribe to the word. And their sentence examples for
意思意思 fall under that sense, which again confirms 意思意思 as a verb. (All the other senses of 意思 in NC and NA are noun senses.)

NA ~ to express appreciation, gratitude etc.
NC ~ to express one's gratitude, friendship, congratulations etc.

NA has an example where the 意思 is not repeated:
大家辛苦了,得买些东西意思一下。
Everybody has worked hard, we'd better buy something for them, to express our appreciation.

============

Also suggesting adding
/interest/fun/ as in 有意思
and
/token of appreciation, affection etc/
这点礼品,只是表示点儿意思。
Diff:
- 意思意思 意思意思 [yi4 si5 yi4 si5] /(coll.) just a token/small expression of one's goodwill/
- 意思 意思 [yi4 si5] /idea/opinion/meaning/wish/desire/CL:個|个[ge4]/
+ 意思 意思 [yi4 si5] /idea/opinion/meaning/wish/desire/interest/fun/token of appreciation, affection etc/CL:個|个[ge4]/to give as a small token/to do sth as a gesture of goodwill etc/
By MDBG 2025
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