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搖身一變

简摇身一变 · 繁搖身一變

Mandarin · pinyin yáo shēn yī biàn

to change shape in a single shake
fig. to take on a new lease of life

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Characters in this entry

搖: yáo · wag, swing, wave; shake; scull
身: shēn · body; trunk, hull; Kangxi radical 158
一: yī · one; a, an; alone
變: Look up this written character
摇: yáo · wag, swing, wave; shake; scull
变: biàn · change, transform, alter; rebel

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

2–1–1–4 · yao2 shen1 yi1 bian4

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

搖身一變 · find source passages ↗ · 摇身一变 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

jiu4 san1 jat1 bin3

Cantonese word readings for 搖身一變. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(usually derogatory and said of bad people) to suddenly change into a different appearance or identity; to assume a different persona or disguise

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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