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彎 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
彎wānbend, curve, turnzg, 22 strokes, radical 弓
wān(wan1)wan T1
  1. 1bend, curve, turn
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March 24, 2026

彎wān(wan1)

The character 彎 (wān) means to bend, curve, or turn. It is commonly used to describe physical shapes, such as a winding road or a curved object, and can also be used metaphorically to refer to bending rules or expectations.

Strokes22Radical弓
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of bending or turning can relate to the philosophy of flexibility and adaptability, often seen in discussions about personal growth and relationships. The idea of being 'bent but not broken' reflects a valued quality in overcoming challenges.

Memory tip

Imagine a person named Wan (wān) who is trying to fit into a curvy path. The character 彎 looks like a road that bends, symbolizing the action of turning or curving. Visualize Wan happily navigating the twists and turns of the road.

Meanings of 彎

wān(wan1)
1bend, curve, turn
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 彎 means.

About 彎

彎Simplified
22Strokes
弓Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 彎

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Podcast: 彎

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AI study notes for 彎

Quick Contrast

弯 (wān) vs 拐 (guǎi) — use 彎 for a smooth curve, while 拐 indicates a sharp turn.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 彎 with 直 (zhí), which means straight. 彎 is more common in informal contexts, but can be used in formal writing when discussing geometry or design. Remember to pronounce it with a rising tone to distinguish it from similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 彎 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary list, it connects well with other HSK Level 3 words related to movement and direction, such as 转 (zhuǎn, turn) and 走 (zǒu, walk). Focus on using it in sentences describing paths or shapes to reinforce its meaning.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 彎 with 轉 (zhuǎn), which means to turn rather than to bend. For example, saying '这条路转得很漂亮' (Zhè tiáo lù zhuǎn de hěn piàoliang) is incorrect if you intend to describe a curve; it should be '这条路弯得很漂亮'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 彎

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Etymology of 彎

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

Simplified form of 彎. Phonosemantic compound. 弓 represents the meaning and 䜌 represents the sound.

Memory hint

bow

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

Origin

彎 = 弓 + 䜌. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 彎

IDS Structure⿱䜌弓
彎Full character
=
䜌luan2
top
弓Gong1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 彎?

How to say bend, curve, turn in Chinese

“bend, curve, turn” in Chinese is彎wān

The character 彎 (wān) means to bend, curve, or turn. It is commonly used to describe physical shapes, such as a winding road or a curved object, and can also be used metaphorically to refer to bending rules or expectations.

When to use 彎

Be careful not to confuse 彎 with 直 (zhí), which means straight. 彎 is more common in informal contexts, but can be used in formal writing when discussing geometry or design. Remember to pronounce it with a rising tone to distinguish it from similar-sounding words.

彎 or something close to it

弯 (wān) vs 拐 (guǎi) — use 彎 for a smooth curve, while 拐 indicates a sharp turn.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 彎 with 轉 (zhuǎn), which means to turn rather than to bend. For example, saying '这条路转得很漂亮' (Zhè tiáo lù zhuǎn de hěn piàoliang) is incorrect if you intend to describe a curve; it should be '这条路弯得很漂亮'.

Write 彎

彎

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

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Word Family of 彎

Words containing this character20
弯wānbent彎
转弯zhuǎnwānto turn轉彎
弯曲wānqūto bend彎曲
弯腰wānyāoto stoop彎腰
拐弯guǎiwānto go round a curve拐彎
拐弯抹角guǎiwānmòjiǎoto equivocate拐彎抹角
急转弯jízhuǎnwānto make a sudden turn急轉彎
弯路wānlùwinding road彎路
臂弯bìwāncrook of the arm臂彎
弯弯wānwānWan Wan (1981-), Taiwanese blogger and cartoonist彎彎
弯道wāndàowinding road彎道
走弯路zǒuwānlùto take an indirect route走彎路
遛弯liùwānto go for a stroll遛彎
弯弯曲曲wānwānqūqūcurved彎彎曲曲
绕弯子ràowānzilit. to go on a long detour繞彎子
弯子wānzibend彎子
转弯抹角zhuǎnwānmòjiǎoto equivocate轉彎抹角
遛弯儿liùwānrto go for a stroll遛彎兒
绕弯ràowānto go for a walk around繞彎
曲里拐弯qūlǐguǎiwānwinding and turning (idiom)曲裡拐彎
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 彎

What does 弯 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 彎

You can say, '这条路弯得很漂亮' (Zhè tiáo lù wān de hěn piàoliang), meaning 'This road is very beautifully curved.'

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