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变革 (biàn gé) — to transform; to change

Definition

变革 (biàngé) means a sweeping, fundamental transformation — more radical and systemic than 改变 (general 'change') or 转变 (shift in direction), and used for institutions, systems, or eras rather than small adjustments.

verb
to transformto change

Examples

  • 变革。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī zhèng zài jìn xíng yì chǎng shēn kè de biàn gé.
    This company is undergoing a profound transformation.
  • 变革。
    Wǒ men xū yào biàn gé chuán tǒng de guǎn lǐ mó shì.
    We need to transform the traditional management model.
  • 变革。
    Zhèng fǔ zhèng zài biàn gé jiào yù tǐ zhì yǐ shì yìng xīn shí dài.
    The government is transforming the education system to adapt to the new era.

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
革géreform

Both parts mean change or reform, together indicating a large-scale transformation.

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

革 is drawn as a stretched animal hide, with the upper part as the head and the lower part as the tail and legs.

Open 革 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Change & Process

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