chinese - superfluous words (虚词)

The way I read Chinese online, is by literal translation word by word. Often meanings can be understood, perhaps retrospectively, by combining their singular meanings. For example, 更新速度 (geng1 xin1 su4 du4)（replace new speed degree = replacement rate)

Sometimes though annoyingly extra words are thrown in, typically for emphasis, that have literal meanings, but that don't really fit in or seem to make sense. These are superfluous words, or words that simply make the sentence sound more elegant or emphatic.

e.g. 气死 ＝ annoy to death / annoy the heck out of
the word 活 means vivid / lively / simply
and put together: 活活气死 ＝ really annoy the heck out of.

until you've had these sayings explained to you, it can be a little hard. Plus, I'm still at the stage of being distracted with individual words, so often the wider context isn't helping me out as much as it could.

my colleague jack tells me there are names for these words:
虚词 xu1 ci2 - empty meaning
实词 shi2 ci2 - real meaning