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转向 (zhuǎn xiàng) — to lose one's bearings, to get lost (physically)

Definition

转向 (zhuǎnxiàng) means to lose one's sense of direction and become disoriented — a physical/mental state, not literally turning a vehicle or steering wheel. As a separable verb, the aspect particle (了) goes between 转 and 向.

verb
to lose one's bearingsto get lost (physically)

Examples

  • ，。
    Tā zài shān lǐ zhuǎn le xiàng, zǒu le hěn jiǔ cái chū lái.
    He got lost in the mountains and walked for a long time before getting out.
  • 转向。
    Wǒ zài zhè ge chéng shì wán quán zhuǎn xiàng le.
    I completely lost my sense of direction in this city.
  • ，转向。
    Zài xīn de dì fāng, tā hěn róng yì zhuǎn xiàng.
    She easily gets lost in new places.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

转zhuǎnturn
向xiàngdirection

转 (turn) and 向 (direction) together describe turning one's way and losing bearings.

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 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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

向 originally drew 宀 (house) with 口 to show an echo in a place; later it was used for direction.

Open 向 →
Appears in
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