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改换 (gǎi huàn) — to change (over to), to switch to

Definition

A more formal 'to switch over to' — implies a deliberate replacement of one thing for another (jobs, methods, strategies). Stronger and more written than the everyday 换.

verb
to change (over to)to switch to

Examples

  • 改换。
    Tā jué dìng gǎi huàn gōng zuò.
    He decided to change jobs.
  • 改换。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī gǎi huàn le jīng yíng cè lüè.
    This company changed its business strategy.
  • 改换。
    Wǒ men xū yào gǎi huàn yì zhǒng fāng fǎ.
    We need to switch to a different method.

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gǎichange
换huànswitch

改 and 换 both mean change or switch, so together they express changing over to something else.

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 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 →
Appears in
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