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转为 (zhuǎn wéi) — change to

Definition

转为 (zhuǎn wéi) is a written/formal verb meaning 'change into / turn into', used when one state shifts to another. More literary than 变成 or 变成…了, which are common in everyday speech.

verb
change to

Examples

  • 转为。
    Tiān qì zhuǎn wéi wèi qíng tiān.
    The weather turned sunny.
  • 转为。
    Tā de tài dù zhuǎn wéi wèi yǒu shàn.
    His attitude became friendly.
  • 转为。
    Zhè ge jì huà zhuǎn wéi wèi shī bài.
    This plan turned into a failure.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

转zhuǎnturn/change
为wèibecome

转为 combines 转 'turn/change' with 为 'become', meaning to change into something.

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 轉; 转 is its simplified writing.

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.

Open 转 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 為; 为 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 為 showed a hand holding an elephant; the simplified 为 is a later shorthand.

Open 为 →
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