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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'to change' with 改 (gǎi)

    Actions & Events

    Structure

    Subject + 改 + Object

    Explanation

    改 (gǎi) is a common verb meaning 'to change,' 'to correct,' or 'to revise.' It is one of the most basic and versatile words for expressing change in Chinese. It can stand alone or combine with other characters to form compound verbs like 改为, 改变, and 更改.

    Examples

    • 老师让我把作文里的错字改过来。

      Lǎoshī ràng wǒ bǎ zuòwén lǐ de cuòzì gǎi guòlái.

      The teacher told me to correct the wrong characters in my essay.

    • 这个方案不太好，我们改一下吧。

      Zhège fāng'àn bù tài hǎo, wǒmen gǎi yīxià ba.

      This plan isn't great; let's revise it a bit.

    • 他决定改掉熬夜的坏习惯。

      Tā juédìng gǎi diào áoyè de huài xíguàn.

      He decided to break his bad habit of staying up late.

    Expressing 'to change' with 改 (gǎi) | Chinese Grammar