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调转 (diào zhuǎn) — to turn around; to transfer (to a different job or work unit)

Definition

A two-sense verb: physical 'turn around' (direction of a car, heading), and workplace 'transfer' (move an employee to a different unit). The work-unit sense pairs with 把 / 到, giving it a disposal-construction feel.

verb
to turn aroundto transfer (to a different job or work unit)

Examples

  • 调转。
    Qì chē zài lù kǒu diào zhuǎn le fāng xiàng.
    The car turned direction at the intersection.
  • 调转。
    Tā qù nián diào zhuǎn dào le cái wù bù.
    He transferred to the finance department last year.
  • 调转。
    Gōng sī bǎ tā diào zhuǎn dào xīn xiàng mù zǔ.
    The company transferred him to the new project team.

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tiáomove
转zhuǎnturn

“调” means to move or turn, and “转” means to turn or change, so the sense is to turn around or transfer.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 轉; 转 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
專
專zhuān轉zhuǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 轉 combines 車, a carriage, with 專 as a sound part; the simplified 转 is a later shorthand.

Open 转 →
Appears in
DirectionsWorkplace & Office

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