(diào) — to transfer, to move (people, troops, or resources) from one place to another

Definition

调 (diào) as a noun means a transfer or reassignment of personnel, troops, or funds. It pairs with 调动, which is the verb form; 部队/军队/队伍 refer to military units themselves, not the act of moving them.

noun
to transfer, to move (people, troops, or resources) from one place to another
Measure word ·

Examples

  • Gōng sī bǎ tā diào dào guó wài qù gōng zuò.
    The company transferred him to work abroad.
  • Shàng jí mìng lìng diào yí gè shī qù biān jìng.
    The superior ordered to transfer a division to the border.
  • Wǒ men xū yào diào yì xiē zī jīn lái yìng jí.
    We need to transfer some funds to deal with the emergency.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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 調; 调 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Sound part声符shēngfú
zhōu調tiáo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 調 pairs 言 (speech) with 周, which shows how it was pronounced. The simplified 调 is a later shorthand.

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