Chinese word

化

Pronunciation

Pinyinhuà

Meaning

  • verbmodernize

Example

我们的城市正在现代化。wǒ men de chéng shì zhèng zài xiàn dài huà

Our city is modernizing.

Illustration for 化 (modernize)

More examples

许多农村正在城市化。xǔ duō nóng cūn zhèng zài chéng shì huà

Many rural areas are urbanizing.

Core concept

A process that reshapes something until it takes on a different form or quality.

Common phrases

  • 现代化xiàn dài huà

    modernize

  • 城市化chéng shì huà

    urbanize

  • 工业化gōng yè huà

    industrialize

Similar words

变biàn: To change or become different in a general sense.
变成biàn chéng: To become or turn into a particular thing or state, with the result clearly stated.
成为chéng wéi: To become a particular person, role, status, or state.
改变gǎi biàn: To change something from its original state into a different one.

Definition in Chinese

作动词表示变化或转变，也常作词缀附于名词或形容词后表示一种趋向或结果，表示使成为某种状态或变得某种状态。zuò dòng cí biǎo shì biàn huà huò zhuǎn biàn yě cháng zuò cí zhuì fù yú míng cí huò xíng róng cí hòu biǎo shì yì zhǒng qū xiàng huò jié guǒ biǎo shì shǐ chéng wéi móu zhǒng zhuàng tài huò biàn de móu zhǒng zhuàng tài

Word origin

化 (huà, "change") began with the idea of transformation and later became a productive ending that turns a noun or adjective into a change-related expression.

Usage tips

  • A word ending in 化 (huà, "change") may mean become X or make something X, so the subject and surrounding grammar determine which reading fits.

Other meanings

  • changeverb

Related words

  • 现代化xiàn dài huàmodernizationnoun
  • 城市化chéng shì huàurbanizationnoun
  • 工业化gōng yè huàindustrializationnoun

Word lists with this word