Japanese edit

Kanji in this term
よう
Grade: 2

Grade: S
へん
Grade: 4
こう
Grade: S
on’yomi
Alternative spelling
用途變更 (kyūjitai)

Etymology edit

Originally a noun phrase as a compound of 用途 (yōto, use, purpose) +‎ 変更 (henkō, change, alteration).

This appears to have lexicalized as a shift in usage from the construction ...用途変更する (... no yōto o henkō suru, to change the purpose or use of [something]), where the two elements 用途 (yōto) and 変更 (henkō) are treated separately, into ...用途変更する (... o yōto henkō suru, to repurpose [something]), where the two are combined into a single element used as a verb.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): [jo̞ːto̞ hẽ̞ŋko̞ː]

Verb edit

(よう)()(へん)(こう)する (yōto henkō surutransitive suru (stem (よう)()(へん)(こう) (yōto henkō shi), past (よう)()(へん)(こう)した (yōto henkō shita))

  1. to repurpose something

Conjugation edit