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好转 (hǎo zhuǎn) — to improve, to take a turn for the better

Definition

好转 describes a situation, condition, or trend that takes a turn for the better on its own — often used for health, weather, or the economy. 进步 is for people/skills making progress, and 改善 means to actively improve something.

verb
to improveto take a turn for the better

Examples

  • 好转。
    Tā de bìng qíng kāi shǐ hǎo zhuǎn le.
    His condition has started to improve.
  • 好转。
    Jīng jì xíng shì yǒu suǒ hǎo zhuǎn.
    The economic situation has somewhat improved.
  • 好转。
    Xī wàng míng tiān tiān qì néng hǎo zhuǎn.
    I hope the weather will improve tomorrow.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

好hǎobetter
转zhuǎnturn

好转 joins 好 meaning better with 转 meaning turn, giving the sense of turning for the better.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

好 joins 女 (woman) and 子 (child), understood as a woman with a child, linked to goodness or affection.

Open 好 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 轉; 转 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
專
專zhuān轉zhuǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 轉 combines 車, a carriage, with 專 as a sound part; the simplified 转 is a later shorthand.

Open 转 →
Appears in
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