Definition
转头 is a separable verb (离合词) meaning 'to turn one's head'. It also extends to changing direction, making a U-turn, or — in figurative usage — repenting and reforming one's ways (as in the idiom 浪子回头). Since it is a separable verb, you can insert measure words, time expressions, or complements between 转 and 头, e.g., 转了一下头 ('turned her/his head once').
v.o.
to turn one's headto change directionto make a U-turn(figurative) to repentto reform
Examples
- ，。Tā tīng dào shēngyīn, zhuǎn le yí xià tóu.He heard a sound and turned his head.
- ，。Zhè tiáo lù bù néng diào tóu, zhǐ néng zài qián biān zhuǎn ge tóu.You can't make a U-turn on this road; you can only turn around up ahead.
- ，转头。Tā jīnglì le zhè cì jiàoxùn, zhōngyú zhuān tóu le.After this lesson, he finally repented and changed his ways.
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