改: to change

改 gǎi

verb
: to change; to alter; to transform; to correct; to remodel

Kun Reading

改む | あらたむ aratamu

godan verb with mu ending | transitive verb
: to revise; to change

改め | あらため aratame

suffix
: former (e.g. name); previous; changed

改まる | あらたまる aratamaru

godan verb with ru ending | intransitive verb
: to be renewed
: to stand on ceremony; to be formal
: to take a turn for the worse

改まる | あらたまる aratamaru

godan verb with ru ending | intransitive verb
: to be renewed

改める | あらためる aratameru

ichidan verb | transitive verb
: to change; to alter; to revise; to replace
: to reform; to correct; to mend; to improve
: to examine; to check; to inspect
: to do properly; to do formally

改改まった | あらたまった aratamatta

noun or verb acting prenominally
: ceremonious; formal

改ざん | かいざん kaizan

noun | suru verb
: alteration; falsification; faking

改變[变] gai3bian4: to change; to alter; to transform
[改変 | かいへん kaien: change; innovation; transformation]

改革 gai3ge2: reform; to reform [かいかく kaikaku: reform; reformation; innovation]

改善 gai3shan4: to make better; to improve
[かいぜん kaizen: betterment; improvement;
: kaizen (Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement)]

改造 gai3zao4: to transform; to reform; to remodel; to remold
[かいぞう kaizou: (Computer terminology) remodeling; restructuring
: modding]

改進[进] gai3jin4: to improve; to make better
[改進 | かいしん kaishin: bringing up to date; progress]

修改 xiu1gai3: to amend; to alter; to modify
[しゅうかい shuukai: personal reformation]

悔改 hui3gai3: to repent; repentance
[悔改め | くいあらため kuiaratame: repentance]

批改 pi1gai3: to mark (homework, exam scripts etc); to correct and criticize (an article); to check; to correct; a correction (to a piece of writing)

更改 geng1gai3: to alter [こうかい koukai: renewal; extension; revision]

Japanese common word | expression | yojijukugo 四字熟語 | proverb
*改過自新 | かいかじしん kaika jishin
: changing one’s attitude or conduct and making a new start; turning over a new leaf

改革を叫ぶ | かいかくをさけぶ kaikaku o sakebu
: to cry loudly for a reform

日を改めて | ひをあらためて hi o aratamete
: another day; some other day

過ちては則ち改むるに憚ること勿れ | あやまちてはすなわちあらたむるにはばかることなかれ
ayamachite wa sunawachi aratamuru ni habakaru koto nakare
: do not delay to make amends for one’s wrongs

過ちて改めざるこれを過ちという | あやまちてあらためざるこれをあやまちという
ayamachite aratamezaru kore o ayamachi toiu
: to err and not change one’s ways, this is what it is to err (from Analects of Confucius)

Chinese expression | chengyu 成語 | idiom | proverb
*改過自新 [改过自新] gai3 guo4 zi4 xin1
: to reform and start afresh; to turn over a new leaf

改邪歸正 [改邪归正] gai3 xie2 gui1 zheng4
: to mend one’s ways; to turn over a new leaf

一改故轍 [一改故辙] yi1 gai3 gu4 zhe2
: complete change from the old rut; dramatic change of direction; a volte-face; to change old practices

屢教不改 [屡教不改] lu:3 jiao4 bu4 gai3
: lit. not to change, despite repeated admonition; incorrigible; unrepentant

死不改悔 si3 bu4 gai3 hui3
: not to repent even facing death; unrepentant; very obstinate

朝聞夕改 [朝闻夕改] zhao1 wen2 xi1 gai3
: lit. heard in the morning and changed by the evening; to correct an error very quickly

積習難改 [积习难改] ji1 xi2 nan2 gai3
: old habits are hard to change; It is hard to throw off ingrained habits.

知過改過 [知过改过] zhi1 guo4 gai3 guo4
: to acknowledge one’s faults and correct them

痛改前非 tong4 gai3 qian2 fei1
: completely correcting one’s former misdeeds; to repent past mistakes and turn over a new leaf; a reformed character

狗改不了吃屎 gou3 gai3 bu4 liao3 chi1 shi3
: lit. a dog can’t stop himself from eating shit; fig. bad habits are hard to change

江山易改稟性難移 [江山易改禀性难移] jiang1 shan1 yi4 gai3 bing3 xing4 nan2 yi2
: rivers and mountains are easy to change, man’s character much harder
OR
江山易改，本性難移 [江山易改，本性难移] jiang1 shan1 yi4 gai3 , ben3 xing4 nan2 yi2
: it is easier to change mountains and rivers than to alter one’s character. You can’t change who you are. A leopard never changes its spots.

有則改之，無則加勉 [有则改之，无则加勉] you3 ze2 gai3 zhi1 , wu2 ze2 jia1 mian3
: correct any mistakes you made, but maintain your good record if you did not make them

行不更名，坐不改姓 xing2 bu4 geng1 ming2 , zuo4 bu4 gai3 xing4
: I am who I am (and I’m not ashamed); fig. to be proud of one’s name and stand by one’s actions

過而能改，善莫大焉 [过而能改，善莫大焉] guo4 er2 neng2 gai3 , shan4 mo4 da4 yan1
: If one can change after making a mistake, there is nothing better