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更换 (gēng huàn) — to replace (a worn-out or broken item); to change (one's address, phone number, etc.)

Definition

更换 (gēnghuàn) means to swap out a worn or broken thing for a new one (tires, a faucet, a part) — more concrete than 取代 ('supplant, take the place of', often abstract/people) or 替换 (substitute one for another, e.g. in a lineup).

verb
to replace (a worn-out or broken item)to change (one's address, phone number, etc.)

Examples

  • 更换。
    Wǒ míng tiān qù chē háng gēng huàn lún tāi.
    I'm going to the garage to replace the tires tomorrow.
  • 更换？
    Nǐ gēng huàn guò jiā tíng dì zhǐ ma?
    Have you ever changed your home address?
  • 更换。
    Qǐng gēng huàn zhè ge jiù shuǐ lóng tóu.
    Please replace this old faucet.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

更gèngchange
换huànswap

更 “change” and 换 “swap” reinforce each other, giving the sense of replacing one thing with another.

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pūhand holding a whip; action
Sound part声符shēngfú
𰀒
𰀒𰀒更gēng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The old form showed two chariots, 𰀒; 攴, a hand holding a whip, was added to show action, and one chariot part was dropped. The remaining part changed into the shape seen in 更.

Open 更 →

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 換; 换 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
奐
奐huàn換huàn
Same sound today

For the traditional form 換, 手 is the hand part and 奐 gives the sound; this note is about 換, not the simplified 换.

Open 换 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5Change & Process

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