改组 (gǎi zǔ) — to reorganize (a government, company, or team); to reshuffle

Definition

改组 means to reshuffle or reorganize an organization (government, company, team) — typically a structural or personnel change, heavier than 调整 ('adjust/tweak').

verb
to reorganize (a government, company, or team)to reshuffle

Examples

  • 改组。
    Zhèng fǔ zuì jìn jìn xíng le yí cì gǎi zǔ.
    The government recently carried out a reshuffle.
  • 改组。
    Gōng sī gǎi zǔ le xiāo shòu bù mén.
    The company reorganized the sales department.
  • 。
    Zhè ge bù mén yǐ jīng gǎi guò liǎng cì zǔ le.
    This department has been reorganized twice.

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
组zǔorganization

改 means to change and 组 means the organization; together they mean to change the organization.

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 →

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 組; 组 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
且
且qiě組zǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 組 pairs 糸 (silk) with 且 as a sound part; the simplified 组 is a shorthand.

Open 组 →

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