为了变化

[michaelS]

This is a quick exchange from a book I've just finished (which is originally written in English, but I read the Chinese translation - my first ever unabridged book in Chinese!)

“这东西是为我做的吗？” 威尔伯问道。

“不，” 夏洛说， “这东西是为我自己做的。为了变化。”

That final expression of "为了变化" caught my eye and I was about to add it to my vocabulary book, as a translation of 'for a change' (that's exactly the kind of useful conversational expression that I like to pick up from reading fiction).

But I double-checked before adding it, and haven't really been able to find it in any dictionary.

Google results tend to be further embedded in sentences, e.g. "别为了变化变". So my question is, can I use it standalone in Chinese in the English sense of "...for a change" or "that makes a change", or is it possibly not a good translation that I've stumbled across?

[陳德聰]

I think it's not a great translation.

If the original English was "No," he said, "I did things for myself for a change." then I'm a bit unimpressed by the translation.
 

Maybe 换换口味 would be better, or 换个想法?

[michaelS]

Yes I'm sure the original was something along those lines. I had my suspicions that the translation might not have been too good, like I said.

Thanks for the suggestions - I can see people online using 换换口味 in much the same way as 'For a change' in English, i.e. with the meaning of 'something different from the usual'.

百度翻译 gave this entertaining example：

你要我说你什么好呢，总之，你就是个朝三暮四的人，对感情一向浅尝辄止，哪个女人跟你久了，你都会烦的，现在你想换换口味，就回来了，是不是？

I wonder if it can be used for the same range of different functions as in English:

1) Suggesting a plan: "Shall we eat out for a change?"

2) Commenting on a past event: "The bar was packed for a change."

3) Being sarcastic: "I see you spent all day online. For a change."