TongTong
Sign in

变幻 (biàn huàn) — to change unpredictably; to fluctuate; to shift (of scenery, situation, etc.)

Definition

Emphasizes change that is irregular and hard to predict, like shifting clouds or market conditions. Stronger and more literary than the everyday 变化 ('to change').

verb
to change unpredictablyto fluctuateto shift (of scenery, situation, etc.)

Examples

  • 变幻，。
    Guó jì jú shì fēng yún biàn huàn, wǒ men bì xū zuò hǎo zhǔn bèi.
    The international situation is changing unpredictably; we must be well prepared.
  • 变幻，。
    Xī yáng xià de yún cai sè cǎi biàn huàn, měi bú shèng shōu.
    The colors of the clouds at sunset shift constantly, too beautiful to take in all at once.
  • ，。
    Shì chǎng háng qíng biàn huàn mò cè, tóu zī xū jǐn shèn.
    Market conditions are unpredictable and ever-changing; investment requires caution.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

变biànchange
幻huànchange

变 and 幻 both refer to change, so the word describes shifting in an unpredictable way.

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 變; 变 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
䜌
䜌䜌變biàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 變 uses 䜌 as a sound part and 攴 as a meaning part.

Open 变 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 幻 →
Appears in
Change & Process

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.