转调 (zhuǎn diào) — modulation (in music)

Definition

noun

modulation (in music)

转调。
Zhè shǒu qǔ zi zuì hòu bù fen yǒu yí gè zhuǎn diào.
There is a modulation in the last part of this piece.
转调。
Tā shàn cháng zài yǎn zòu zhōng yùn yòng zhuǎn diào jì qiǎo.
He is skilled at using modulation techniques in performance.
转调。
Zhè duàn yīn yuè tōng guò liú chàng de zhuǎn diào gǎi biàn le qíng xù.
This section of music changes mood through smooth modulation.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

转 (change) and 调 (key/tone) together describe moving from one musical key to another.

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.

車專轉

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.

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.

言周調

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

周

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.