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起承转合

qǐ chéng zhuǎn hédictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
(idiom) four-part structure of a composition: introduction, elucidation, pivot (shift in perspective), synthesis; (fig.) coherent structural progression in writing, narrative, or any unfolding process
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-39a7c50d2b1f0339. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

起承轉合 起承转合 [qi3 cheng2 zhuan3 he2] /(idiom) four-part structure of a composition: introduction, elucidation, pivot (shift in perspective), synthesis; (fig.) coherent structural progression in writing, narrative, or any unfolding process/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

Other forms in these source records: 起承轉合

  • 起
    qǐ

    to rise / to raise / to get up / to set out / to start / to appear / to launch / to initiate (action) / to draft / to establish / to get (from a depot or counter) / verb suffix, to start / starting from (a time, place, price etc) / classifier for occurrences or unpredictable events: case, instance / classifier for groups: batch, group

  • 承
    chéng

    to bear / to carry / to hold / to continue / to undertake / to take charge / owing to / due to / to receive

    Chéng

    surname Cheng / Cheng (c. 2000 BC), third of the legendary Flame Emperors 炎帝[Yán dì] descended from Shennong 神農|神农[Shén nóng] Farmer God

  • 转
    zhuǎi

    see 轉文|转文[zhuǎi wén]

    zhuǎn

    to turn / to change direction / to transfer / to forward (mail) / (Internet) to share (sb else's content)

    zhuàn

    to revolve / to turn / to circle about / to walk about / classifier for revolutions (per minute etc): revs, rpm / classifier for repeated actions

  • 合
    gě

    100 ml / one-tenth of a peck / measure for dry grain equal to one-tenth of sheng 升 or liter, or one-hundredth dou 斗

    hé

    to close / to join / to fit / to be equal to / whole / together / round (in battle) / conjunction (astronomy) / 1st note of pentatonic scale

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.