易地 (yì de) — to relocate, to move (to another place or position); to exchange places, to swap positions

Definition

易地 (yìdì) is a formal written verb meaning 'to change places' — used in set phrases like 易地而处 ('put yourself in another's position'). Rare in everyday speech.

verb
to relocateto move (to another place or position)to exchange placesto swap positions
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，易地。
    Yóu yú gōng zuò diào dòng, tā bù dé bú yì de shēng huó.
    Because of a job transfer, he had to relocate and live elsewhere.
  • ，。
    Shuāng fāng zài bǐ sài zhōng yì le dì, dàn bǐ fēn réng rán bú biàn.
    The two sides swapped places during the match, but the score remained unchanged.
  • 易地，。
    yì de Ér chǔ, nǐ yě huì lǐ jiě tā de xuǎn zé.
    If you put yourself in his position, you would also understand his choice.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

易yìchange
地dìplace

易 means to change and 地 means place, so it means to change one's place.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The early form of 易 was a drawing of a filled container, not a chameleon. It showed something full that could be given out.

Open 易 →

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě地dì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

地 is built from 土 (earth) and 也, which gives its sound.

Open 地 →

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