改制 (gǎi zhì) — to reform or restructure (a system, institution, or enterprise)

Definition

A formal verb for reforming or restructuring systems, institutions, or enterprises. Unlike 改革 (broader 'reform' of policies/society), 改制 targets the internal structure of one organization.

verb
to reform or restructure (a system, institution, or enterprise)

Examples

  • 改制，。
    Zhè jiā guó yǒu qǐ yè zhèng zài gǎi zhì, yǐ shì yìng shì chǎng jīng jì de xū yào.
    This state-owned enterprise is restructuring to adapt to the market economy.
  • ，改制。
    Gǎi gé kāi fàng hòu, zhōng guó de jīng jì tǐ zhì quán miàn gǎi zhì le.
    After reform and opening up, China's economic system was completely reformed.
  • 改制。
    Tā men gōng sī qù nián jìn xíng le gǔ fèn zhì gǎi zhì.
    Their company underwent a shareholding system reform last year.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

改gǎichange
制zhìsystem

改 means to change and 制 is a system, so together they mean to change or reform a system.

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
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
巳
巳sì改gǎi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

An early form of 改 paired 巳 as a sound part with 攴 as a meaning part; the sound part later changed.

Open 改 →

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

The form 制 pairs 朱 (tree) with 刀 (knife), showing the act of cutting a tree.

Open 制 →

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