gǎi kǒu

改 口

Level:

SW HSK 4 DC6

ReadWriteQuiz

1
v.correct oneself; withdraw or modify one's previous remark; change one's story/tone
- tā yuán lái shì nà me shuō de xiàn zài gǎi kǒu le
  她原来是那么说的，现在改口了。
  That's what she said at first, but she's changed it now.
- duì shì gù de shuō fa nǐ men bì xū yī kǒu yǎo dìng zài bù gǎi kǒu
  对事故的说法你们必须一口咬定，再不改口。
  You must stick to our story about the accident.
2
v.address somebody by a different name/title; change a form of address
- guò qù jiào guàn le shū shu xiàn zài yào gǎi kǒu jiào bà ba yǒu diǎn biè niu
  过去叫惯了叔叔，现在要改口叫爸爸，有点别扭。
  I always used to call him uncle, so it feels awkward now to call him dad.

Separable word
"改" and "口" can be combined as one word, or be used separately with other elements inserted.
- 昨天说的话，他今天就改了口。
  Today, he withdrew what he had just said yesterday.
- 我说话从未改过口。
  I have never changed my words.
- 刚结完婚，他对岳父岳母一时还改不了口。
  Having just been married, he couldn't address his parents-in-law with “mother” or “father”.

改口