To change

hamshank
 December 31, 2009, 07:11 AM posted in General Discussion

Hello everyone....Can anyone explain the difference between 變 - biàn = "To change" and 換 - huàn = "to change"

Is it that 變 applies to transforming/changing the same thing/person, where as 換 applies to changing one thing for a different thing?

For example "to change my car" I would use 換 and for "my face has turned red" I would use 變

Thanks

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chingchieh
 December 31, 2009, 04:12 PM

 

給你幾個例句吧：

魔術師可以從帽子中變出鴿子

一台電腦可以換一卡車咖啡豆

變 一般表示從沒有到有

換一般表示從把本來就有的變成其他東西

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changye
 January 01, 2010, 04:23 AM

Hi hamshank

Both "变" and "换" can be translated as "change" in English, and this often makes foreign learners of Mandarin confused. Very roughly speaking, "变" is often used in the sense of "alter"，on the other hand, "换" often connotes "exchange".

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bodawei
 January 01, 2010, 06:50 AM

A common application of 换 huàn is:

换货 huànhuò (exchange goods)

[That one is for you Changye, give it your best!]  

To minimise 'Changye damage' I will get in first and say that I have never had any trouble in China getting things exchanged, even at the 'two dollar' shop.  

退钱 tuìqián (getting your money back)  

Another good example for 换 (exchange) is 换人 tui4ren2 (substitute a player in a game on the sporting field)  

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hamshank
 January 01, 2010, 10:44 AM

Hi changye & bodawei

Thanks for the insight! It sounds like I was along the right (ish) lines then.