调整 (tiáozhěng) — to adjust; adjustment

调整 (tiáozhěng)

调整 means to make adjustments or modifications to something in order to improve it or make it more appropriate, and is used across a wide range of contexts from personal habits to policy revision.

Meanings

1. [verb] to adjust; to modify; to revise; to fine-tune
2. [noun] adjustment; modification; revision

Example Sentences

公司根据市场变化对定价策略进行了调整。 Gōngsī gēnjù shìchǎng biànhuà duì dìngjià cèlüè jìnxíng le tiáozhěng. The company adjusted its pricing strategy based on market changes.

你需要调整一下自己的作息时间。 Nǐ xūyào tiáozhěng yīxià zìjǐ de zuòxī shíjiān. You need to adjust your daily schedule a little.

政府宣布对税收政策做出重大调整。 Zhèngfǔ xuānbù duì shuìshōu zhèngcè zuòchū zhòngdà tiáozhěng. The government announced major adjustments to tax policy.

经过调整，这台机器的效率提高了30%。 Jīngguò tiáozhěng, zhè tái jīqì de xiàolǜ tígāo le 30%. After adjustment, the efficiency of this machine improved by 30%.

他不断调整自己的学习方法，终于找到了适合自己的方式。 Tā bùduàn tiáozhěng zìjǐ de xuéxí fāngfǎ, zhōngyú zhǎodào le shìhé zìjǐ de fāngshì. He kept adjusting his study methods and finally found an approach that suited him.

在谈判中，双方都做出了一定的调整和让步。 Zài tánpàn zhōng, shuāngfāng dōu zuòchū le yīdìng de tiáozhěng hé ràngbù. During the negotiations, both sides made certain adjustments and concessions.

Collocations

Usage Notes

调整 implies a fine-tuning or recalibration rather than a wholesale change. It suggests something was mostly right but needed to be brought into better alignment. It is used in both formal (policy, strategy, structure) and informal (daily habits, personal approach) contexts.

Note the tonal distinction: 调整 (tiáozhěng, to adjust) vs. 调配 (diàopèi, to allocate/dispatch). The character 调 reads tiáo in 调整 (adjustment) and diào in words like 调查 (diàochá, investigation).

Memory Hook

调 (to tune/adjust) + 整 (to put in order/tidy): tuning until everything is in proper order -- to adjust.