HSK 6 grammar · pattern
A这A那
V这V那 — do it over this and that (scattered)
Pattern
+ + +
( ) can be left out · other words may come before, between and after
How it works
Repeating one verb with 这 and 那 (V这V那) describes doing something in a scattered, unfocused way over many things — 想这想那 (fret over this and that), 挑这挑那. It often carries a mildly negative, fussing tone.
Examples
她整天想这想那，睡不好觉。
Tā zhěngtiān xiǎng zhè xiǎng nà, shuì bù hǎo jiào.
She frets about this and that all day and sleeps poorly.
别问这问那了，快做吧。
Bié wèn zhè wèn nà le, kuài zuò ba.
Stop asking about this and that — just do it.
他挑这挑那，什么都不满意。
Tā tiāo zhè tiāo nà, shénme dōu bù mǎnyì.
He picks at this and that, satisfied with nothing.
Related
See it in a story
In the app, A这A那 is underlined wherever it appears in the stories you read, and practised with sentences from them. Free.