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輓 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
wǎnto pull, to lead; to pull back, to draw a bowx, 14 strokes, radical 車, Very Hard
wǎn(wan3) T3
  1. 1to pull, to lead; to pull back, to draw a bow
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March 24, 2026
wǎn(wan3)

The character 輓 (wǎn) primarily means to pull or to draw, often referring to the act of pulling back a bowstring or leading someone or something. It conveys a sense of tension or effort involved in the action of pulling, and is less commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more relevant in specific contexts such as archery or metaphorically in leadership.

Strokes14RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese archery, the act of drawing the bow (引弓) is seen as a disciplined skill, often associated with patience and precision, which reflects values in Chinese martial arts and culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a strong archer named 'Wan' who pulls back his bowstring with great effort. The radical 辶 (meaning 'to walk' or 'to move') combined with the wheel component 车 suggests movement and action, linking to the idea of pulling or leading forward.

Meanings of 輓

wǎn(wan3)
1to pull, to lead; to pull back, to draw a bow
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 輓

Simplified
14Strokes
Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 輓

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AI Study Notes for 輓

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a strong archer named 'Wan' who pulls back his bowstring with great effort. The radical 辶 (meaning 'to walk' or 'to move') combined with the wheel component 车 suggests movement and action, linking to the idea of pulling or leading forward.

Usage Notes

This character is rarely used in everyday conversation, which might lead to confusion about its practical application. Learners should be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding characters like 玩 (wán, to play), as tone and context are critical. It's more common in literary or formal contexts.

HSK Study Tips

Since 輓 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, learners should focus on understanding its components and usage in specific contexts. It can be beneficial to relate this character to other action verbs involving movement or tension, such as 拉 (lā, to pull) and 引 (yǐn, to lead or draw).

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese archery, the act of drawing the bow (引弓) is seen as a disciplined skill, often associated with patience and precision, which reflects values in Chinese martial arts and culture.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 輓 with similar sounding characters like 玩 (wán), leading to incorrect usage. For example, using 輓 in a casual context as if it means 'to play' is incorrect; it should be reserved for specific contexts involving pulling or drawing.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 輓

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Etymology of 輓

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 免 represents the sound. Simplified form of 輓.

Memory Hint

cart

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 輓?

Decomposition of 輓

IDS Structure⿰車免
Full Character
=
che1
left
mian3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 輓?

Write 輓

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Cultural Notes for 輓

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese archery, the act of drawing the bow (引弓) is seen as a disciplined skill, often associated with patience and precision, which reflects values in Chinese martial arts and culture.

Word Family of 輓

Words Containing This Character15
挽救wǎnjiùto save
挽回wǎnhuíto retrieve
wǎnto pull
挽留to detain
力挽狂澜to pull strongly against a crazy tide (idiom); fig. to try hard to save a desperate crisis力挽狂瀾
无可挽回irrevocable無可挽回
挽联elegiac couplet輓聯
挽歌a dirge
挽具harness
挽幛large elegiac scroll
挽词an elegy挽詞
挽诗elegy輓詩
挽力pulling power (of draft animals)
挽额elegiac tablet挽額
挽辞an elegy挽辭
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 挽救 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 輓

It primarily refers to pulling or drawing, often in a physical sense, like pulling back a bowstring.