矫正 (jiǎo zhèng) — to correct (a physical defect such as teeth, vision, or posture); to rectify (a behavior, habit, or error)

Definition

矫正 stresses the concrete act of fixing something already off (teeth, vision, posture, behavior) — more physical/hands-on than the abstract 纠正, and stronger/more technical than 改正. 习惯 is just the noun 'habit', not a verb.

verb
to correct (a physical defect such as teeth, vision, or posture)to rectify (a behavior, habit, or error)

Examples

  • 矫正。
    Tā de yá chǐ xū yào jiǎo zhèng yí xià.
    Her teeth need to be corrected.
  • 矫正。
    Shǒu shù hòu tā de shì lì dé dào le jiǎo zhèng.
    After surgery, his vision was corrected.
  • 矫正。
    Lǎo shī bāng tā jiǎo zhèng le bù liáng xí guàn.
    The teacher helped him correct his bad habits.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

矫jiǎostraighten/correct
正zhèngstraight/correct

矫 expresses straightening, and 正 expresses being correct, together conveying the act of making something right.

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 矯; 矫 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
矢矢shǐarrow
Sound part声符shēngfú
喬
喬qiáo矯jiǎo
Same sound today

The traditional 矯 pairs 矢 (arrow) with 喬 as a sound part; 矢 shows straightening like an arrow shaft. The simplified 矫 is a later abbreviation.

Open 矫 →

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
止止zhǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng正zhèng
Same sound today

正 pairs 止 with 丁; 止 marks the sense and 丁 gives the sound.

Open 正 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Medicine & Treatment

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