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调教 (tiáo jiào) — to train, to discipline (a person, especially a subordinate or child); to feed and train, to tame (domestic animals, livestock)

Definition

Means to train and discipline (a subordinate, child, or animal) into obedience, often implying firmness. Often carries a stronger, more controlling tone than plain 训练.

verb
to trainto discipline (a person, especially a subordinate or child)to feed and trainto tame (domestic animals, livestock)

Examples

  • 调教，。
    Zhè wèi lǎo shī hěn huì tiáo jiào xué shēng, ràng tā men zūn shǒu jì lǜ.
    This teacher is good at disciplining students to make them follow the rules.
  • 调教，。
    Tā huā le hěn duō shí jiān tiáo jiào zhè zhī xiǎo gǒu, xiàn zài tā hěn tīng huà le.
    He spent a lot of time training this puppy, and now it's very obedient.
  • 调教，。
    Gōng sī duì xīn yuán gōng jìn xíng yán gé tiáo jiào, shǐ tā men kuài sù shì yìng.
    The company provides strict training for new employees to help them adapt quickly.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

调tiáotrain
教jiàoteach

调 means train and 教 means teach, together meaning to instruct or discipline.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 調; 调 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
周
周zhōu調tiáo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 調 pairs 言 (speech) with 周, which shows how it was pronounced. The simplified 调 is a later shorthand.

Open 调 →

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
子子zǐchild
攵Written in full as攴pūteaching cane; stick that represents authority
Sound part声符shēngfú
爻
爻yáo教jiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

教 uses 爻 for its sound and puts 子 (child) with 攵 (攴), a teaching cane, to show teaching a child.

Open 教 →
Appears in
Management

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