掉转 (diào zhuǎn) — to turn around; to make a U-turn

Definition

A separable verb meaning 'to turn around / reverse direction,' most often used of vehicles, one's path, or (by extension) a conversation's topic — switching 180° rather than adjusting course.

verb
to turn aroundto make a U-turn
Easily confused

Examples

  • 掉转。
    Sī jī zài lù kǒu diào zhuǎn le chē tóu.
    The driver turned the car around at the intersection.
  • ，掉转。
    Tīng dào zhè ge xiāo xi, tā lì kè diào zhuǎn fāng xiàng wǎng gōng sī kāi qù.
    Upon hearing this news, he immediately turned around and drove toward the company.
  • ，掉转。
    Tǎo lùn jìn xíng dào yí bàn, tā tū rán diào zhuǎn le huà tí.
    Halfway through the discussion, he suddenly changed the subject.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

掉diàoturn
转zhuǎnturn

The actions 掉 and 转 both describe turning, so together they mean to turn around or change direction.

Characters in this word

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
卓
卓zhuó掉diào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

掉 is built from 扌 (a hand) and 卓, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 掉 →

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 →

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