转而 (zhuǎn ér) — conversely; on the other hand; instead

Definition

A written conjunction linking two clauses where the second reverses, abandons, or replaces the first — 'instead' or 'on the other hand'. Marked and slightly more formal than 而 on its own, and reads more strongly as a deliberate pivot than 不过.

conjunction
converselyon the other handinstead

Examples

  • ，转而。
    Tā yuán běn xiǎng xué fǎ lǜ, zhuǎn ér xuǎn zé le jīng jì.
    He originally wanted to study law, but instead chose economics.
  • ，转而，。
    Zhè ge fāng àn fēng xiǎn hěn dà, zhuǎn ér, lìng yí gè fāng àn gèng wěn tuǒ.
    This plan is very risky; on the other hand, the other plan is safer.
  • ，转而。
    Gōng sī jué dìng fàng qì guó nèi shì chǎng, zhuǎn ér kāi tuò hǎi wài shì chǎng.
    The company decided to abandon the domestic market and instead explore overseas markets.

Origin

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 而 is a picture of a beard.

Open 而 →

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