单调
Traditional: 單調
dān diào HSK 5

English Meaning

📚 Example Sentences

他的生活很单调。
Tā de shēnghuó hěn dāndiào.
His life is very monotonous.
这个房间的颜色很单调。
Zhège fángjiān de yánsè hěn dāndiào.
The color of this room is very dull.
每天做一样的工作很单调。
Měitiān zuò yīyàng de gōngzuò hěn dāndiào.
Doing the same work every day is very monotonous.
生活很单调。
Shēnghuó hěn dāndiào.
Life is very monotonous.
工作太单调了。
Gōngzuò tài dāndiào le.
The work is too dull.

💡 Memory Tip

Break down the characters: 单 (dān) means 'single' or 'alone,' and 调 (diào) means 'tune' or 'tone.' Think of a 'single tune' played over and over—it becomes monotonous and dull, just like the meaning of 单调.

📝 Usage Notes

This word is neutral in formality and can be used in both spoken and written Chinese. It is commonly applied in contexts like describing jobs, daily life, colors, designs, or any situation perceived as lacking excitement or variation.

📖 Grammar Points

As an adjective, 单调 can function as a predicate (e.g., 这种音乐很单调), an attributive (e.g., 单调的生活), or a complement (e.g., 他讲得单调乏味). It is often modified by degree adverbs like 很, 非常, or 太.

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, valuing harmony and consistency can sometimes lead to perceptions of monotony in routines or environments. The word may reflect a modern desire for diversity and stimulation amidst traditional emphasis on stability.

🔄 Similar Words

Similar to 乏味 (fáwèi, 'tasteless/dull'), which focuses more on being uninteresting, while 单调 emphasizes a lack of change or variety. Compared to 枯燥 (kūzào, 'dry/dull'), which often describes abstract things like lectures or texts as boring, 单调 is broader and can describe visual or experiential monotony.

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