转身

• Pinyin: zhuǎn shēn
• Hanzi breakdown: 转 = 车 + 专, to turn; 身 = pictograph of a standing person with a protruding belly, the body

Meaning

To turn around; to turn one's body. A physical action of rotating one's body to face a different direction.

Describes the action of a person pivoting their body. 转身离开 (to turn and leave), 一转身 (in an instant, or the moment one turns around). Can be used figuratively to mean 'in no time' or 'just a moment later'. Very common in narrative writing.

Examples

1. 她听到有人叫她的名字，急忙转身看是谁。 She heard someone calling her name and quickly turned around to see who it was.
2. 他转身走向门口，没有再回头。 He turned and walked towards the door without looking back again.
3. 一转身，孩子已经跑得不见了踪影。 In an instant, the child had run off and disappeared from sight.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, narrative, description

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 她转身对他说：'等一下。' (She turned around and said to him: 'Wait a moment.')
• 他转身就走，不给对方任何解释的机会。(He turned and walked away without giving the other person any chance to explain.)

Don't Say

• 用'转身'来表示一件事情完全改变方向或性质 (Don't use 转身 metaphorically to mean a situation has reversed direction — use 转变 or 转向 for abstract changes; 转身 refers specifically to the physical act of turning one's body)

Origin & History

From 转 (to turn) and 身 (body, a pictograph of a pregnant person — the body as a whole), together meaning 'to turn the body around'.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal