Definition
调 (tiáo) means 'to adjust' or 'to tune', focusing on fine-tuning a device or instrument (e.g., volume, piano). It differs from 调整 (tiáo zhěng), which is broader and more formal, meaning 'to adjust/revise a plan or system'. For reconciling relationships, use 调解 (tiáo jiě, to mediate) or 和解 (hé jiě, to make peace) instead.
verb
to adjustto tune (a device, instrument, etc.)to reconcileto harmonize (a relationship, conflict, etc.)
Easily confused
- 调diàolook-alike(verb) to transfer, to move (troops, cadres, personnel)
- 条tiáosound-alike(classifier) used for long, thin objects (rivers, roads, trousers, fish, etc.)
- 调diàolook-aliketo transfer, to move (people, troops, or resources) from one place to another
- 跳tiàosound-aliketo jump; to hop; to bounce; to skip over
- 雕diāolook-aliketo carve, to engrave
- 挑tiǎosound-aliketo poke, to prick
- 译yìlook-aliketo translate
- 挑tiǎosound-alike(verb) to lift up, to raise (挑帘子 'lift a curtain')
Examples
- 调。Qǐng bǎ shēngyīn tiáo dà yì diǎn.Please turn the volume up a bit.
- 调。Tā zhèngzài tiáo gāngqín de yīn.He is tuning the piano.
- 。Tāmen zhī jiān de máodùn xūyào hǎohǎo tiáojiě yíxià.The conflict between them needs to be properly mediated.
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