Comparing "gai" and "gaibian"

改 (gǎi) and 改变 (gǎibiàn) are both verbs that mean “to change” and can sometimes be used interchangeably. 改 is used in informal situations, whereas 改变 can be used in both informal and formal contexts. A key difference between these words is that 改 can also mean to "correct" or "to rectify" a mistake. Furthermore, only 改变 can also be used as a noun.

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	改 (gǎi)	改变 (gǎibiàn)
Meaning	to change, to correct	to change; a change
Part of Speech	verb	verb, noun
Formality	informal	flexible

:Yes

Use 改 to mean "to change"

Just remember that the verb 改 is informal.

改 can have a "to adjust" nuance

In the following examples, you'll see that 改 involves a small adjustment or alteration. 改变 feels grander and more permanent, and would not be natural in these cases.

• 改 时间 gǎi shíjiānto change time
• 改 地方gǎi dìfangto change Place
• 改 机票 gǎi jīpiàoto change ticket
• 改 信息gǎi xìnxīto change information

• 她 比较 了 机票 的 价格 ， 然后 改 了 机票 。 Tā bǐjiào le jīpiào de jiàgé, ránhòu gǎi le jīpiào .She compared the price of the ticket and changed it.
• 这里 可以 改 订单 信息 ， 比如 你 的 地址 。 Zhèlǐ kěyǐ gǎi dìngdān xìnxī , bǐrú nǐ de dìzhǐ.Here you can change the order information, such as your address.
• 几 年 之间，家乡 完全 改 了 样子 了。 Jǐ nián zhījiān, jiāxiāng wánquán gǎi le yàngzi le.In a few years, the hometown has completely changed its appearance.
• 我 今天 没有 时间 上课，我们 可以 改 时间 吗？ Wǒ jīntiān méiyǒu shíjiān shàngkè, wǒmen kěyǐ gǎi shíjiān ma?I don't have time to go to class today, can we change the time?
• 聚会的 地方 改 了，你 知道 吗？ Jùhuì de dìfang gǎi le, nǐ zhīdào ma?The meeting place has changed, do you know?
• 我 可以 改 一下 明天 的 上课 时间 吗 ？ Wǒ kěyǐ gǎi yīxià míngtiān de shàngkè shíjiān ma?Can I change the time of tomorrow's class?

改 means “to correct"

When something is wrong and needs to be corrected, you can use 改 (often with a complement; see below), but not 改变.

• 这个 错 的 句子 应该 怎么 改 ？ Zhège cuò de jùzi yīnggāi zěnme gǎi ?How should I change this wrong sentence?
• 我 改 了 我 的 坏 习惯 。 Wǒ gǎi le wǒ de huài xíguàn.I have changed my bad habit.
• 写 错的 字 都 改 了 。 Xiě cuò de zì dōu gǎi le.I've changed all the words I wrote wrong.
• 合同 里面 有 个 小 问题，你 可以 帮 我 改 一下 吗？ Hétong lǐmiàn yǒu gè xiǎo wèntí, nǐ kěyǐ bāng wǒ gǎi yīxia ma?There is a small problem in the contract, can you help me correct it?

改 can be followed by complements

Especially in cases when 改 means “to correct," 改。can be followed by a complement.

Examples of 改 + complement

• 改 好
• 改 掉
• 改 短
• 改 完

Example Sentences

• 这个 写 错 的 句子 改 好 了 吗？ Zhège xiě cuò de jùzi gǎi hǎo le ma?Have you corrected this misspelled sentence?
• 这个 裤子 太 长 了 ， 可以 改  短 一点 吗 ？ Zhège kùzi tài cháng le, kěyǐ gǎi duǎn yīdiǎn ma?The pants are too long, can you make it shorter?

改变 is often a verb

Although 改变 is more formal than 改, in all of the following sentences, 改变 could be changed to 改, since all are verb uses.

Common Phrases

• 改变 计划 gǎibiàn jìhuàto change plan
• 改变 方式 gǎibiàn fāngshìto change the way
• 改变 态度 gǎibiàn tàiduto change attitudes
• 改变 政策 gǎibiàn zhèngcèto change policy

Example Sentences

• 周末 天气 不 好 ， 所以 我 改变 了 我的 计划 。 Zhōumò tiānqì bù hǎo, suǒyǐ wǒ gǎibiàn le wǒ de jìhuà .The weather was not good over the weekend, so I changed my plans.
• 手机 改变 了 大家 的 生活 方式 。 Shǒujī gǎibiàn le dàjiā de shēnghuó fāngshì .Cell phones have changed the way people live.
• 我 改变 了 我 的 想法 。 Wǒ gǎibiàn le wǒ de xiǎngfǎ .I've changed my mind.
• 最近 ， 经理 对 我的 态度 改变 了 很多 。 Zuìjìn, jīnglǐ duì wǒ de tàidu gǎibiàn le hěn duō.Recently, my manager's attitude towards me has changed a lot.
• 大家 都 希望 政府 能 改变 政策 。 Dàjiā dōu xīwàng zhèngfǔ néng gǎibiàn zhèngcè .We all hope that the government will change its policy.

改变 can also be a noun

• 现在 上海 有 很 大 的 改变 。 Xiànzài Shànghǎi yǒu hěn dà de gǎibiàn .Now Shanghai has changed a lot.
• 家长 和 老师 也 没有 经历 过 这种 教育 系统 的 改变 。 Jiāzhǎng hé lǎoshī yě méiyǒu jīnglì guo zhèzhǒng jiàoyù xìtǒng de gǎibiàn .Parents and teachers have not experienced this kind of change in the education system.
• 她 说 了 以后 ， 她 的 工作 方法 还是 没有 任何 的 改变。 Tā shuō le yǐhòu, tā de gōngzuò fāngfǎ háishì méiyǒu rènhé de gǎibiàn .After she said that, her working methods remained unchanged.

Websites

• “改”和“改变”