Chinese word

改动

Pronunciation

Pinyingǎi dòng

Meaning

  • verbchange

Example

请不要随便改动我的东西。qǐng bú yào suí biàn gǎi dòng wǒ de dōng xī

Please don't change my things without asking.

Illustration for 改动 (change)

More examples

未经审批，任何人不得擅自改动合同条款。wèi jīng shěn pī rèn hé rén bù dé shàn zì gǎi dòng hé tóng tiáo kuǎn

Without approval, no one may change the contract terms without authorization.

Core concept

An existing thing is shifted at selected points, so its overall form remains while part of it becomes different.

Common phrases

  • 擅自改动shàn zì gǎi dòng

    change without authorization

  • 改动规则gǎi dòng guī zé

    change the rules

  • 改动合同条款gǎi dòng hé tóng tiáo kuǎn

    change contract terms

Similar words

修改xiū gǎi: Corrects and partly changes the content of a document, plan, or setting.
改变gǎi biàn: Changes the nature or state of something so that it becomes different.
调整tiáo zhěng: Slightly changes an arrangement or value to bring it into a suitable condition.
更改gēng gǎi: Replaces an original decision or agreement with a different one.

Definition in Chinese

对事物的内容、结构或位置等进行改变，通常指较小或局部的调整duì shì wù de nèi róng jié gòu huò wèi zhì děng jìn xíng gǎi biàn tōng cháng zhǐ jiào xiǎo huò jú bù de tiáo zhěng

Word origin

In 改动 (gǎidòng, "change"), 改 (gǎi, "alter") identifies the change and 动 (dòng, "move") adds the idea of shifting an existing part.

Usage tips

  • English change can describe a new state in general, but this verb is more natural when the speaker is tracking what was altered in an existing object, plan, or document.

Other meanings

  • reviseverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word