gǎi zào
transform; reform
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这个城市正在进行大规模的改造。
Zhège chéngshì zhèngzài jìnxíng dàguīmó de gǎizào.
This city is undergoing large-scale reconstruction.
这座老房子经过改造后，焕然一新。
Zhè zuò lǎo fángzi jīngguò gǎizào hòu, huànrán yī xīn.
After renovation, this old house looks brand new.
为了保护环境，我们应该对生活方式进行改造。
Wèile bǎohù huánjìng, wǒmen yīnggāi duì shēnghuó fāngshì jìnxíng gǎizào.
In order to protect the environment, we should change our lifestyles.
保持 (bǎochí)
keep
维持 (wéichí)
maintain
The Chinese character 改 (gǎi) means "to change" or "to reform", while 造 (zào) means "to build" or "to create". Together, they form the word 改造 (gǎizào), which literally means "to change and build" or "to transform". In the context of HSK, 改造 is often used to refer to the process of transforming or reforming something, such as a system, a society, or a person. For example, the phrase 社会改造 (shèhuì gǎizào) means "social reform", while 思想改造 (sīxiǎng gǎizào) means "thought reform". 改造 can also be used in a more general sense to refer to any kind of change or transformation, such as the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly.
