HSK 4 · VERSION 2.0#29

Non-Exhaustive Lists with “děngděng”

等等

děngděng

How it works

等等 (děngděng) means “etc.” or “and so on.” It is used after examples to show that there are more items not listed.

Compared with 什么的 (shénme de), 等等 (děngděng) is a little more neutral and slightly more formal.

Item 1, Item 2, Item 3 + 等等 (děngděng)

我们学了语法、词汇、发音等等。

Wǒmen xué le yǔfǎ, cíhuì, fāyīn děngděng.

We studied grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, etc.

桌子上有书、笔、纸等等。

Zhuōzi shàng yǒu shū, bǐ, zhǐ děngděng.

There are books, pens, paper, and other items on the table.

这个问题跟时间、经验、方法等等都有关系。

Zhège wèntí gēn shíjiān, jīngyàn, fāngfǎ děngděng dōu yǒu guānxi.

This problem is related to time, experience, methods, etc.

Both 什么的 (shénme de) and 等等 (děngděng) can show an incomplete list, but:

什么的 (shénme de) is more conversational

等等 (děngděng) is a bit more neutral or written