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改掉 (gǎi diào) — to get rid of (a bad habit, a problem); to correct and eliminate

Definition

改掉 means to 'correct and get rid of' a bad habit or flaw — the focus is on removing something by changing it, not just dropping it. Usually used for personal habits or faults (e.g. 抽烟的坏习惯).

verb
to get rid of (a bad habit, a problem)to correct and eliminate

Examples

  • 改掉。
    Tā jué dìng gǎi diào chōu yān de huài xí guàn.
    He decided to get rid of the bad habit of smoking.
  • 改掉。
    Zhè ge máo bìng hěn nán gǎi diào.
    This bad habit is hard to get rid of.
  • ？
    Zhè ge huài xí guàn tā gǎi dé diào ma?
    Can he get rid of this bad habit?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

改gǎichange
掉diàofall off

改 means change and 掉 indicates falling off or removal, so change away and eliminate.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
卓
卓zhuó掉diào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

掉 is built from 扌 (a hand) and 卓, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 掉 →
Appears in
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