字 Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning Index

Chinese characters meaning "to transfer"

Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "to transfer", including 传 (chuán / zhuàn), 转 (zhuǎn / zhuàn), 调 (diào / tiáo), 划 (huá / huà). Study pinyin…

How to Study This Meaning Group

The English word "to transfer" covers 4 different Chinese characters — 传 (chuán / zhuàn), 转 (zhuǎn / zhuàn), 调 (diào / tiáo), 划 (huá / huà) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 4 characters do not share a sound — their readings span chuán, zhuàn, zhuǎn, diào, tiáo, huá, and more — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 传 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.

  • 传 chuán / zhuànto pass on; to spread; to transmit; to infect; to transfer; to circulateUseful words: 宣传, 传说
  • 转 zhuǎn / zhuànto convey; to forward (mail); to transfer; to turn; to shift; to revolveUseful words: 转变, 转移
  • 调 diào / tiáomode (music); to move (troops); tune; tone; melody; to transferUseful words: 调查, 调整
  • 划 huá / huàto row; to delimit; to transfer; to assign; to differentiate; to mark offUseful words: 计划, 划船

Common words for these 4 "to transfer" characters

Anchor each of these 4 characters in a word you can picture — start with 传 (chuán / zhuàn) — so "to transfer" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.

宣传xuān chuánto disseminate; to give publicity to; propaganda传说chuán shuōlegend; folk tale; to repeat from mouth to mouth; they say that...传播chuán bōto disseminate; to propagate; to spread转变zhuǎn biànto change; to transform; shift; transformation转移zhuǎn yíto shift; to relocate; to transfer; (fig.) to shift (attention)转身zhuǎn shēn(of a person) to turn round; to face about; (of a widow) to remarry (archaic)调查diào cháinvestigation; inquiry; to investigate; to survey调整tiáo zhěngto adjust; adjustment; revision强调qiáng diàoto emphasize (a statement); to stress计划jì huàplan; project; program; to plan

See each character in a sentence

Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 4 ways to say "to transfer".

传 chuán / zhuàn — to pass on; to spread; to transmit; to infect; to transfer; to circulate

这个故事一直流传到今天。Zhè ge gù shi yì zhí liú chuán dào jīn tiān.This story has been passed down to this day.

Common words: 宣传 (xuān chuán)、传说 (chuán shuō)、传播 (chuán bō)

转 zhuǎn / zhuàn — to convey; to forward (mail); to transfer; to turn; to shift; to revolve

天气慢慢转暖了。Tiān qì màn màn zhuǎn nuǎn le.The weather is gradually turning warmer.

Common words: 转变 (zhuǎn biàn)、转移 (zhuǎn yí)、转身 (zhuǎn shēn)

调 diào / tiáo — mode (music); to move (troops); tune; tone; melody; to transfer

请帮我调一下空调的温度。Qǐng bāng wǒ tiáo yí xià kōng tiáo de wēn dù.Please help me adjust the air conditioner temperature.

Common words: 调查 (diào chá)、调整 (tiáo zhěng)、强调 (qiáng diào)

划 huá / huà — to row; to delimit; to transfer; to assign; to differentiate; to mark off

周末我和朋友去湖上划船。Zhōu mò wǒ hé péng you qù hú shàng huá chuán.At the weekend my friend and I went boating on the lake.

Common words: 计划 (jì huà)、划船 (huá chuán)、规划 (guī huà)

All 4 characters

Open 传、转、调 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.

Character#1 传 chuán / zhuànto pass on; to spread; to transmit; to infect; to transfer; to circulateTraditional: 傳 Character#2 转 zhuǎn / zhuànto convey; to forward (mail); to transfer; to turn; to shift; to revolveTraditional: 轉 Character#3 调 diào / tiáomode (music); to move (troops); tune; tone; melody; to transferTraditional: 調 Character#4 划 huá / huàto row; to delimit; to transfer; to assign; to differentiate; to mark offTraditional: 划