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脱胎换骨 (tuō tāi huàn gǔ) — to thoroughly transform oneself; to be reborn (through radical change)

Definition

A chengyu (idiom) meaning a complete, radical transformation — like being 'reborn' from the inside out. The 胎/骨 ('fetus / bones') imagery signals a total, often positive change of nature, not just a surface edit.

verb
to thoroughly transform oneselfto be reborn (through radical change)

Examples

  • ，脱胎换骨，。
    Jīng guò zhè cì shī bài, tā tuō tāi huàn gǔ, biàn de fēi cháng nǔ lì.
    After this failure, he underwent a thorough transformation and became very hardworking.
  • 脱胎换骨，。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī gǎi gé hòu tuō tāi huàn gǔ, yè jì fān le hǎo jǐ bèi.
    After the reform, this company was completely reborn, and its performance multiplied several times.
  • 脱胎换骨，。
    Tā jué xīn tuō tāi huàn gǔ, chè dǐ gǎi diào suǒ yǒu huài xí guàn.
    He was determined to thoroughly remold himself and get rid of all bad habits.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

脱胎shed the embryo
脱tuōshed胎tāiembryo
动宾Verb + object
换骨replace the bones
换huànreplace骨gǔbones
动宾Verb + object

脱胎 and 换骨 describe shedding the embryo and replacing the bones, together meaning complete transformation.

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 脫; 脱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròu
Sound part声符shēngfú
兌
兌duì脫tuō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 脫 puts ⺼ (meat) beside 兌, which gives the sound; the simplified 脱 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 脱 →

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
⺼Written in full as肉ròu
Sound part声符shēngfú
台
台tái胎tāi
Same sound today

胎 is formed from ⺼ (written in full as 肉) and 台, which gives the sound.

Open 胎 →

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 換; 换 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
奐
奐huàn換huàn
Same sound today

For the traditional form 換, 手 is the hand part and 奐 gives the sound; this note is about 換, not the simplified 换.

Open 换 →

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
肉肉ròu
Sound part声符shēngfú
冎
冎guǎ骨gǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The older form 冎 drew a bone; 肉, flesh, was added to make 骨.

Open 骨 →
Appears in
Change & ProcessIdioms & Set Phrases

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