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翻新 (fān xīn) — to revamp, to renovate

Definition

翻新 means to make something old look or function like new — restore its appearance. 装修 focuses on interior fitting/decoration, 修复 on repairing damage, and 更新 on replacing content with newer versions.

verb
to revampto renovate

Examples

  • 翻新。
    Tā men jué dìng bǎ jiù fáng zi fān xīn yí biàn.
    They decided to revamp the old house thoroughly.
  • 翻新。
    Zhè tái jiù qì chē jīng guò fān xīn hòu kàn qǐ lái hé xīn de yí yàng.
    After being revamped, this old car looks just like new.
  • 翻新。
    Wǒ men gōng sī měi nián dōu huì fān xīn yí cì bàn gōng shì.
    Our company revamps its office once a year.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

翻fānturn
新xīnnew

翻 means to turn or change, and 新 means new, so the action makes something new 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
羽羽yǔwings
Sound part声符shēngfú
番
番fān翻fān
Same sound today

翻 pairs 羽 (wings) with 番, which gives the sound. The shape shows something fluttering.

Open 翻 →

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

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
斤斤jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
辛
辛xīn新xīn
Same sound today

The shape originally paired 斤, for chopping wood, with 辛 for sound. It was borrowed for its sound to write 新, so the chopping-wood parts are unrelated to 'new'.

Open 新 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Change & Process

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