翻转 (fān zhuǎn) — to turn over, to flip

Definition

verb

to turn overto flip

翻转。
Qǐng bǎ zhè zhāng zhǐ fān zhuǎn guò lái.
Please turn this piece of paper over.
翻转。
Tā shú liàn de fān zhuǎn zhe guō lǐ de jī dàn.
He skillfully flips the eggs in the pan.
翻转。
Zhè ge zhuāng zhì kě yǐ zì dòng fān zhuǎn fāng xiàng.
This device can automatically reverse direction.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

翻fānturn over

翻 adds turning over, and 转 adds rotating, together giving the sense of flipping.

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.

番羽翻

Meaning part形符xíngfú

羽羽yǔwings

Sound part声符shēngfú

番

Same sound today

翻 pairs 羽 (wings) with 番, which gives the sound. The shape shows something fluttering.

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 轉; 转 is its simplified writing.

車專轉

Meaning part形符xíngfú

車車jūcarriage

Sound part声符shēngfú

專

專zhuān轉zhuǎn

Same sound today

The traditional form 轉 combines 車, a carriage, with 專 as a sound part; the simplified 转 is a later shorthand.

Appears in