改嫁 (gǎi jià) — (of a woman) to remarry | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A traditional term meaning (for a woman) to remarry after divorce or widowhood. The framing is historical — today 中文 usually uses 再婚, which is neutral for either spouse.

verb

(of a woman) to remarry

Examples

，改嫁。
Tā zhàng fu qù shì sān nián hòu, tā cái jué dìng gǎi jià.
She only decided to remarry three years after her husband passed away.
，。
Tā lí hūn hòu gǎi le yí cì jià, dàn guò dé bìng bú xìng fú.
After her divorce, she remarried once, but she wasn't happy.
，改嫁。
Zài chuán tǒng guān niàn lǐ, nǚ rén gǎi jià wǎng wǎng huì shòu dào fēi yì.
In traditional views, a woman remarrying often attracts criticism.

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.

改 ('change') + 嫁 ('marry') means changing marital status by marrying again.

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.

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

女家嫁

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

家

家jiā嫁jià

Same sound today

嫁 uses 女 to show it relates to a woman, and 家 to give its sound.

Appears in

Romance & Marriage

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