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转折 (zhuǎn zhé) — to turn (a topic or situation), to shift direction

Definition

转折 is an abstract verb meaning a turn or shift in direction — of a conversation, story, or trend — not a physical spin (that's 转). Compare 扭转, which focuses on reversing an undesirable situation.

verb
to turn (a topic or situation)to shift direction

Examples

  • 转折，。
    Tā qiǎo miào dì zhuǎn zhé le huà tí, bì miǎn le yì chǎng zhēng lùn.
    He skillfully turned the topic and avoided an argument.
  • 转折，。
    Gù shi zài zhè lǐ zhuǎn zhé le fāng xiàng, biàn de gèng yǒu qù le.
    The story turned direction here and became more interesting.
  • ，转折。
    Huì yì zhōng, tā zhuǎn zhé le tǎo lùn de zhòng diǎn.
    During the meeting, he shifted the focus of the discussion.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

转zhuǎnturn
折zhébend

Both parts mean turning or bending; together they describe a shift in direction or trend.

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.

  • 屮𣏄𣏄a tree {{zh-m|*木}} cut in half
  • 斤斤jīnaxe

The shape originally showed an axe (斤) cutting a tree in half; in 折 the left part is now written as a hand.

Open 折 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Change & Process

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