How to Write 改 (gǎi) — Meaning “to change; to correct”

Picture a person (己) holding a correction stick (攵) to fix a mistake, like a teacher marking an error. The image of hitting yourself with a change stick can help you recall that 改 means 'to change' or 'to correct'.

Write the left part 己 first: horizontal, horizontal, vertical, then horizontal. Then add 攵: left-falling stroke, horizontal, left-falling, right-falling. A common mistake is to leave the top of 己 open—it should be closed like a box, not open like 已.

改 has 己 (self) on the left and 攵 on the right, meaning change. 收 has 攵 on the left and 丩 on the right, meaning 'to receive'. 攸 has the person radical 亻 on the left and 攵 on the right, meaning 'distant' or 'to do' in classical texts. The left part is the main visual clue.

改 is very common for making changes or corrections, as in 改变 (gǎibiàn, to change) and 改正 (gǎizhèng, to correct mistakes). It is also used in 修改 (xiūgǎi, to revise), like editing a document or fixing a plan. In schools, teachers often say 改正错误 (correct errors) when returning homework.

Common words containing 改 include: 改变 (gǎi biàn) — to change; to alter; 改正 (gǎi zhèng) — to correct; to rectify; 修改 (xiū gǎi) — to revise or modify.