重构 (chóng gòu) — reconstruction

Definition

重构 means rebuilding something in a new form — a building, a language, or code — rather than just repairing it. The chóng (重) prefix marks a 'do again / anew' sense, similar in pattern to 重建 and 重建 (rebuild) but emphasizing structural reorganization.

noun
reconstruction

Examples

  • 重构。
    Zhè zuò gǔ jiàn zhù jīng guò liǎng nián de chóng gòu zhōng yú huī fù le yuán mào.
    After two years of reconstruction, this ancient building has finally been restored to its original appearance.
  • 重构。
    Lì shǐ yǔ yán xué jiā zài yán jiū zhè mén yǔ yán de chóng gòu.
    Historical linguists are studying the reconstruction of this language.
  • 重构。
    Dài mǎ de chóng gòu néng ràng chéng xù biàn de gèng róng yì wéi hù.
    Code reconstruction can make the program easier to maintain.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

重zhòngagain
构gòubuild

To build again is to reconstruct 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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
東
東dōng重zhòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

重 developed from a picture of a man carrying a bag, with 人 for the man and 東 for the bag; a later ground element was folded into the form.

Open 重 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
勾
勾gōu构gòu
Same sound today

构 combines 木 (wood) with 勾, which gives the sound.

Open 构 →

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