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改善 (gǎi shàn) — to improve, to make better

Definition

改善 (gǎi shàn) means improving an existing situation, often social or quality-of-life conditions. Pairs with 改进 (concrete/method improvements) and 好转 (a situation taking a turn for the better).

verb
to improveto make better
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 改善。
    Wǒ men xū yào gǎi shàn wǒ men de fú wù.
    We need to improve our service.
  • 改善。
    Zhè ge jì huà kě yǐ gǎi shàn rén men de shēng huó.
    This plan can improve people's lives.
  • 改善。
    Tā de chéng jì gǎi shàn le hěn duō.
    His grades improved a lot.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

改gǎichange
善shàngood

改 means change and 善 means good, so 改善 is to change a situation into a good one.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
巳
巳sì改gǎi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

An early form of 改 paired 巳 as a sound part with 攴 as a meaning part; the sound part later changed.

Open 改 →

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

An earlier form of 善 joined 羊, a sheep linked with goodness or beauty, and 誩, described as a wrangle; the reference says this meaning link is hard to understand.

Open 善 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Change & Process

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