改弦更張

简 改弦更张 · 繁 改弦更張
Cantonese · source Jyutpinggoi2 jin4 gang1 zoeng1

Meanings

  1. to make a fresh start; to start a total reform; to change policy
About these definitions

Source definition segments, in their original order. Characters a definition cites are shown without their Mandarin pinyin; classifier lists that CC-Canto copied from CC-CEDICT are marked Mandarin. The community dictionary is not independently verified by zimai.

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Reading & tones

Schematic citation-tone diagrams from the source numbers. These are not recordings or predictions of connected speech.

Same syllable, six tones

goi该goi1should改goi2to changegoi3—goi4—goi5—goi6—
gang更gang1to change梗gang2branchgang3—gang4—gang5—gang6—

Characters whose customary Unihan reading (kCantonese) is this syllable in each tone, chosen as in the tone atlas (2013 standard level, then the number of CC-CEDICT words they form), with CC-Canto 2017's meaning for that reading; a dash means no catalogue character has that reading. Checked syllables (-p, -t, -k) normally carry tones 1, 3 and 6. Character readings, not word readings; no frequency implied.

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Written characters

Both source spellings are represented. Written membership is not an etymological or semantic claim.

Cantonese characters and the Mandarin bridge ↗

Mandarin comparison · separate source entries

CC-Canto includes this pinyin reference: gai3 xian2 geng1 zhang1. It does not establish a Mandarin word with the same meaning.

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

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

phrase

  1. (idiomatic) to reform or revamp (a system or policy)

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

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack

CC-Canto · Pleco Inc. · edition 2017-02-02
Source line 9,297 · Original publisher · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Edition & transformations
Exact source record & identity改弦更張 改弦更张 [gai3 xian2 geng1 zhang1] {goi2 jin4 gang1 zoeng1} /to make a fresh start; to start a total reform; to change policy/

SHA-256: 0f311095e2a03208934fc49977070164d0781774f966ad725e40472c4356d869