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焕然一新 (huàn rán-yì xīn) — to take on a completely new and fresh look; to be transformed beyond recognition (idiom)

Definition

Idiom meaning something's appearance has been transformed — 'looks completely new'. Pairs with 面目全非 (changed beyond recognition, often negatively) and 耳目一新 (feels refreshingly new to the observer).

phrase
to take on a completely new and fresh lookto be transformed beyond recognition (idiom)

Examples

  • ，焕然一新。
    Jīng guò quán miàn gǎi gé, gōng sī de miàn mào huàn rán-yì xīn.
    After comprehensive reforms, the company's appearance was completely transformed.
  • ，焕然一新，。
    Lǎo chéng qū jīng guò gǎi zào, yǐ jīng huàn rán-yì xīn, xī yǐn le hěn duō yóu kè.
    The old city district has been renovated and now looks brand new, attracting many tourists.
  • ，焕然一新。
    Tā huàn le xīn fà xíng hé xīn yī fu, zhěng gè rén huàn rán-yì xīn.
    She got a new hairstyle and new clothes, and she looks completely transformed.

Origin

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 煥; 焕 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
奐
奐huàn煥huàn
Same sound today

In the traditional form 煥, 火 is the fire part and 奐 gives the sound. The simplified 焕 is a later shorthand.

Open 焕 →

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
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
肰
肰rán然rán
Same sound today

然 is made from 肰, which gives the sound, and 火, which shows fire, matching the old sense 'to burn'.

Open 然 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
斤斤jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
辛
辛xīn新xīn
Same sound today

The shape originally paired 斤, for chopping wood, with 辛 for sound. It was borrowed for its sound to write 新, so the chopping-wood parts are unrelated to 'new'.

Open 新 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Change & ProcessIdioms & Set Phrases

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