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调节 (tiáo jié) — to adjust, to regulate

Definition

调节 is a written/formal 'adjust, regulate' used for systems (temperature, blood pressure, income gaps). More literary than 调整, and broader than 调 (which tunes devices or reconciles people).

verb
to adjustto regulate

Examples

  • 调节。
    Qǐng tiáo jié diàn shì de shēng yīn.
    Please adjust the TV volume.
  • 调节。
    Zhèng fǔ tōng guò shuì shōu lái tiáo jié shōu rù chā jù.
    The government adjusts income gaps through taxation.
  • 调节。
    Zhè zhǒng yào néng yǒu xiào tiáo jié huàn zhě de xuè yā.
    This medicine can effectively regulate the patient's blood pressure.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

调tiáoadjust
节jiéregulate

调 gives tuning, and 节 adds regulating; together they mean bringing something into balance.

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 調; 调 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
周
周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.

Open 调 →

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 節; 节 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺮Written in full as竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
即
即jí節jié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 節 pairs ⺮ (bamboo) with 即, which gives the sound; the bamboo part points to a node of bamboo. The simplified 节 is a later abbreviation.

Open 节 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Change & Process

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