岔 chà to diverge
to diverge; to branch; fork in road; to branch off; to change the subject; to interrupt
How to remember 岔: 分 divide + 山 mountain = to diverge. The path divides at the foot of the mountain, and after a long argument over the map the two friends decide to diverge.
Component breakdown
岔 = 分 divide + 山 mountain
- 分 divide
- 八 eight
- 刀 knife
- 山 mountain
The path divides at the foot of the mountain, and after a long argument over the map the two friends decide to diverge.
How it is used
- A fork/branching, and by extension a mishap: 岔路口 (chàlùkǒu) a fork in the road, 三岔口 (sānchàkǒu) a three-way junction.
- 打岔 (dǎchà) = to interrupt / change the subject; 出岔子 (chū chàzi) = for something to go wrong.
- 岔开话题 (chàkāi huàtí) = to steer the topic away.