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更衣 (gēng yī) — to change one's clothes; (euphemism) to go to the toilet

Definition

Literary/formal 'to change clothes,' used in writing or fixed phrases like 更衣室 ('locker room / restroom'). For everyday speech, say 换衣服 instead.

verb
to change one's clothes(euphemism) to go to the toilet

Examples

  • 更衣。
    Tā jìn fáng jiān gēng yī qù le.
    He went into the room to change clothes.
  • 更衣。
    Wǒ gēng yī le yí cì yī cái chū mén.
    I changed clothes once before going out.
  • ，。
    Duì bu qǐ, wǒ qù yí xià gēng yī shì.
    Excuse me, I need to go to the restroom.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

更gèngchange
衣yīclothes

'更' (change) + '衣' (clothes) = change clothes.

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pūhand holding a whip; action
Sound part声符shēngfú
𰀒
𰀒𰀒更gēng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The old form showed two chariots, 𰀒; 攴, a hand holding a whip, was added to show action, and one chariot part was dropped. The remaining part changed into the shape seen in 更.

Open 更 →

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

The shape of 衣 comes from an outline of the chest and upper clothing.

Open 衣 →
Appears in
ClothingHygiene & Grooming

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