TongTong
Sign in

改头换面 (gǎi tóu huàn miàn) — to make superficial changes; to change only the appearance while keeping the substance the same

Definition

A chengyu meaning to change only the outward appearance while the substance stays the same — usually with a critical tone that the change is cosmetic and insincere.

idiom
to make superficial changesto change only the appearance while keeping the substance the same

Examples

  • 改头换面，。
    Zhè zhǒng chǎn pǐn zhǐ shì gǎi tóu huàn miàn, hé xīn pèi fāng gēn běn méi biàn.
    This product has only undergone superficial changes — the core formula hasn't changed at all.
  • ，改头换面，。
    Tā huàn le gè fà xíng hé yī fu, dàn dà jiā dōu jué de tā zhǐ shì gǎi tóu huàn miàn, xìng gé hái shì lǎo yàng zi.
    He got a new haircut and clothes, but everyone thinks he's just put a new face on things — his personality is still the same.
  • ，。
    Zhè ge jì huà gǎi tóu huàn miàn zhī hòu yòu tí jiāo le yí cì, kě xī nèi róng jī hū méi gǎi.
    The plan was resubmitted after a superficial revamp, but unfortunately the content is barely changed.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

改头change head
改gǎichange头tóuhead
动宾Verb + object
换面change face
换huànswap面miànface
动宾Verb + object

改 'change' with 头 'head' and 换 'swap' with 面 'face' describe altering only outward appearance.

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 →

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 頭; 头 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu頭tóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頭 shows 頁, meaning head, beside 豆 as a sound component; the simplified 头 is a later shorthand.

Open 头 →

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 換; 换 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
奐
奐huàn換huàn
Same sound today

For the traditional form 換, 手 is the hand part and 奐 gives the sound; this note is about 換, not the simplified 换.

Open 换 →

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

面 originally drew a man’s face, with one eye exaggerated; the horizontal stroke was added later.

Open 面 →
Appears in
Change & ProcessIdioms & Set Phrases

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