Chinese word

变迁

Pronunciation

Pinyinbiàn qiān

Meaning

  • nounchange

Example

这本书记录了社会的变迁。zhè běn shū jì lù le shè huì de biàn qiān

This book records the changes in society.

Illustration for 变迁 (change)

More examples

随着时间的推移，社会变迁的速度加快了。suí zhe shí jiān de tuī yí shè huì biàn qiān de sù dù jiā kuài le

As time went by, the pace of social change accelerated.

Core concept

A gradual movement from one lasting state to another across time, especially in society, history, or institutions.

Common phrases

  • 社会变迁shè huì biàn qiān

    social change

  • 历史变迁lì shǐ biàn qiān

    historical change

  • 时代变迁shí dài biàn qiān

    changes of the times

Similar words

变化biàn huà: A change in something's appearance, condition, or qualities.
发展fā zhǎn: A gradual increase in the scale, extent, or level of something.
演变yǎn biàn: A change in nature or form that develops over time and leads to a new stage.
变革biàn gé: A major change that replaces old systems or practices at their foundation.

Definition in Chinese

指随着时间推移，事物的状态或性质逐步发生的变化，常用于长期或历史性的推移。zhǐ suí zhe shí jiān tuī yí shì wù de zhuàng tài huò xìng zhì zhú bù fā shēng de biàn huà cháng yòng yú cháng qī huò lì shǐ xìng de tuī yí

Word origin

变 (biàn, "change") + 迁 (qiān, "move") presents change as something that moves onward step by step, giving the word its sense of long-term development.

Usage tips

  • In conversational Chinese, this noun is most natural for broad historical or social developments and sounds more formal than wording for a brief everyday change.

Other meanings

  • evolutionnoun
  • transitionnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word