Common Meanings
1
tiáo调
To mix or blend evenly; to coordinate or regulate appropriately, often implying harmony or balance, as in a balanced diet or favorable weather.
长期熬夜会导致饮食失调和免疫力下降。
Long-term late nights can lead to an unbalanced diet and decreased immunity.
To mix or blend ingredients to achieve a balanced or desired taste/combination; to season.
请把沙拉酱调匀再吃。
Please mix the salad dressing evenly before eating.
To mediate or reconcile a dispute or relationship.
他们成功调解了邻里之间的纠纷。
They successfully mediated the dispute between neighbors.
To adjust or regulate, often referring to balancing supply and demand, or making up for deficiencies and excesses.
图书馆通过增购新书来调剂读者的阅读需求
The library adjusts readers' reading needs by purchasing new books.
To nurse or recuperate to restore health.
她生病后需要好好调养身体。
After her illness, she needs to recuperate well.
To train or tame (animals, especially to make them obey or perform tasks), often requiring skill and patience.
他非常善于调教那些顽皮的幼犬。
He is very good at training those mischievous puppies.
To tease, flirt, or make fun of someone playfully.
他喜欢在派对上和朋友们开心地调笑
He enjoys playfully teasing his friends at parties.
2
diào调
tune; melody; a song or piece of music
这首歌的曲调非常优美。
The melody of this song is very beautiful.
Key or scale in music, referring to the tonic or mode, like C major or pentatonic scale.
学习吉他时，了解不同歌曲的调性很重要。
When learning guitar, it's very important to understand the key of different songs.
The phonetic tone of a character or syllable in a language, such as 'tone mark' (调号) or 'tone category' (调类).
学习中文时，掌握好声调非常重要。
When learning Chinese, mastering the tones is very important.
Speaking accent or tone; dialectal intonation.
他的普通话虽然标准，但偶尔还是会带点家乡的腔调。
Although his Mandarin is standard, he occasionally still carries a bit of his hometown accent.
The specific manner or tone of speaking; a viewpoint or argument (e.g., a lecturing tone, or similar opinions).
他的发言总是一个调，听起来让人厌烦。
His speeches always have the same tone, which makes people annoyed.
The style, talent, or temperament a person possesses or displays; a distinctive atmosphere or quality, as in "sentiment" (情调) or "style/quality" (格调).
他的音乐作品总是有独特的格调。
His musical works always have a unique style.
To select and transfer someone to a new, often higher, position; to reassign for promotion.
公司决定从研发部调一位资深工程师到项目组。
The company decided to transfer a senior engineer from the R&D department to the project team.
To transfer or adjust a position, often referring to a job or role transfer.
他被调到了新的项目组。
He was transferred to a new project team.
To transfer, deploy, or allocate (resources, personnel) from one place to another to meet a need or balance a situation.
为了按时完成任务，我们急需从其他小组调配一些人手过来
To complete the task on time, we urgently need to transfer some staff from other teams.
to investigate; to survey
项目组正在对市场进行调研。
The project team is currently conducting market research.
to retrieve or transfer (e.g., files, archives, data)
请把这份文件从档案室调出来。
Please retrieve this document from the archive room.
To adjust, to change, to transfer (e.g., positions, shifts, seats).
我能和你调一下时间吗？
Can I adjust the time with you?
3
zhōu调
Morning; dawn. (An archaic usage of '调' pronounced 'zhōu'.)
调露未晞，花影摇曳。
The morning dew has not yet dried, and the flower shadows sway.