转念 (zhuǎn niàn) — to have second thoughts, to reconsider (an idea…

Definition

Means 'to have second thoughts' — to suddenly change one's mind or reconsider a decision. Pairs with 一想/之间 for 'on second thought'.

verb

to have second thoughtsto reconsider (an idea or decision)

转念，。
Tā zhuǎn niàn yì xiǎng, jué de hái shì qù ba.
After reconsidering, he felt he might as well go.
，。
Wǒ běn lái xiǎng cí zhí, dàn zhuǎn le yí gè niàn yòu yóu yù le.
I originally wanted to quit, but I had a second thought and hesitated.
转念，。
zhuǎn niàn Zhī jiān, tā gǎi biàn le zhǔ yì.
In a moment of reconsideration, he changed his mind.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

Turning a thought gives the sense of reconsidering.

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.

車專轉

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.

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

亼心念

念 combines 今, an upside-down mouth, with 心, the heart, to listen to one's heart.

Appears in