改弦更張

Chinese

		to change; to alter; to transform to change; to alter; to transform; to correct	bow string; string of mus. instr.	to change; more; even more to change; more; even more; further; still; still more	(a measure word); surname; open up
trad. (改弦更張)		改	弦	更	張
simp. (改弦更张)		改	弦	更	张
Literally: “to re-tune the strings or re-string the instrument”.

Etymology

Originally, a metaphor with string instruments: 改弦 refers to the re-application of tuning, while 更張 means re-stringing the instrument altogether. The latter component has been attested as late as the Book of Han in a passage quoting verbatim from a letter by Dong Zhongshu to the Emperor Wu of Han [104 BCE]. The combined phrase in various forms was already familiar by the Jin era [c. 3rd century], for example, as 改絃易張 in the Records of the Three Kingdoms.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): gǎixiángēngzhāng

  (Zhuyin): ㄍㄞˇ ㄒㄧㄢˊ ㄍㄥ ㄓㄤ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): goi² jin⁴ gang¹ zoeng¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: gǎixiángēngzhāng
    • Zhuyin: ㄍㄞˇ ㄒㄧㄢˊ ㄍㄥ ㄓㄤ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: gǎisiángengjhang
    • Wade–Giles: kai³-hsien²-kêng¹-chang¹
    • Yale: gǎi-syán-gēng-jāng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: gaeshyangengjang
    • Palladius: гайсяньгэнчжан (gajsjanʹgɛnčžan)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kaɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɛn³⁵ kɤŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑŋ⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: goi² jin⁴ gang¹ zoeng¹
    • Yale: gói yìhn gāng jēung
    • Cantonese Pinyin: goi² jin⁴ gang¹ dzoeng¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: goi² yin⁴ geng¹ zêng¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɔːi̯³⁵ jiːn²¹ kɐŋ⁵⁵ t͡sœːŋ⁵⁵/

Idiom

改弦更張

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

Synonyms

• 改弦易轍／改弦易辙 (gǎixiányìzhé)