「聯綿詞」又稱「聯綿字」或「連綿詞」，一般認為它是不能拆解的單純詞，是一種聲音組合形式的詞匯，而非意義組合形式的複音詞。就漢語詞匯演化的過程以及外部結構特點而言，古代漢語以單音節詞居多，較少出現雙音節或多音節詞。大部分被當做雙音節詞看待的複音詞，如：形容、出入、所以、結束……等，其實都只是兩個連用的單音詞，只因它們連用後的形式與後世的雙音節詞『相同』，是以造成誤認而以為他們已經屬於雙音節結構形式的詞匯。一般而言，學者認為聯綿詞具有三個特色，即：在詞義上，只有一個語素；在語音上，大多有聲韻關係；在形體上，有多種書寫形式。就詞義而言，由於不論聯綿詞的產生屬於義合式（綢繆、擁抱）、衍音式（參差、趑趄）或是摹聲式（霹靂、歔欷），都只能算是一個單純詞，因此只有一個語素；就形體而言，由於聯綿詞基本上屬於聲音組合形式，因此，在書寫上只要合於音讀要求，其形體結構如何，未有一定限制，如仿佛、彷彿、髣髴或俳佪、徘徊、裵褢，均無不可。但在語音上，是否必須具備聲韻關係，學者說法並不一致。本文以為由語言之發展而言，當應具有音讀關係為是，擬以《詩經》為例，試行探索。唯《詩經》中之聯綿詞為數甚夥，故先取向熹先生《詩經語言研究》書中所列不具音讀關係之聯綿詞二十六例試行探索之。研析向先生所列《詩經》中不具音讀關係之二十六例聯綿詞，可以發現：玁狁、昆吾、混夷、串夷為異族名稱外來語；雎鳩、鳲鳩、桑扈屬形（定語）名附加鳥名合成詞，桃蟲屬雙形并立鳥名合成詞，鴟鴞、脊令則屬摹聲鳥名；騶虞形名附加合成詞；歇驕、戚施皆屬摹聲生物名；萇楚、梧桐、常棣為形名附加木名合成詞；終南、焦穫、徂來、新甫為古地名；仔肩為雙動并立合成詞；滂沱為副動附加合成詞；于嗟、猗與為動形附加語助詞，皆不宜歸諸複音形式單純詞。只有夸毘與權輿二詞或有學者解作複音形式之單純詞，但亦有學者以為二詞可分別解作雙動并列與雙名并列者，而且亦皆可通。若依其說，則向先生所列二十六個不具聲韻關係之聯綿詞，其實皆不具聯綿關係。然則，若以《詩經》為例，聯綿詞可以不具雙聲或叠韻關係之說，或者容有再行商榷之餘地。

Lianmianzi means a single inseparable word that is composed of two syllables, including disyllabic roots with two words of same initial, the same final, or the same initial and final. Lianmianzi is generally thought to be a combination of syllables instead of meanings. According to the process and constitution, ancient Chinese mostly consists of one-syllable words. Two-syllable words and multi--syllable words only occupy a small part in ancient Chinese. As a matter of fact, most multi-syllable words are two one-syllable words applied consecutively. Because of the same forms with two-syllable words, they are misunderstood to be of two syllables.Generally speaking, Lianmianzi is supposed to be with three characters. Lianmianzi consists of only one morpheme, and disyllables with phonetic relationship, and loose written forms. However, there are still different opinions on the phonetic relationship between the disyllables. Consequently, with Shijing( the book of poetry) as examples, the essay tries to research to the Lianmianzi without phonetic relationship. Then, the theory that ther is no phonetic relationship between Lianmianzi still has some room for discussion.