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涡 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
涡guōeddy, swirl, whirlpooln, 10 strokes, radical 氵, rank #29551, Very Hard
涡guōname of a riverunknown, 10 strokes, radical 氵, rank #29551, Very Hard
涡wōeddy, swirl, whirlpooln, 10 strokes, radical 氵, rank #29551, Very Hard
涡wōname of a riverunknown, 10 strokes, radical 氵, rank #29551, Very Hard
guō(guo1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1eddy, swirl, whirlpool
  2. 2name of a river
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
涡(渦)guō(guo1)

The character 涡 (guō) refers to a swirling motion, such as an eddy or whirlpool in water. It can also denote a specific river or describe anything that moves in a circular or spiraling manner. This term is commonly used in both scientific contexts, like fluid dynamics, and in everyday descriptions of water movement.

Strokes10Radical氵Frequency#29551DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, water plays a vital role in poetry and art, often symbolizing change and fluidity. The concept of eddies and whirlpools can represent the unpredictability of life, echoing themes in traditional literature.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'growing whirlpool' as you say 'guō', where the swirling water forms a circular shape. The character 涡 has the water radical 水 on the left, emphasizing its relationship with water, while the right side suggests the swirling motion of the eddy.

Meanings of 涡

guō(guo1)
primary
1eddy, swirl, whirlpool
2name of a river
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 涡

涡Simplified
渦Traditional
10Strokes
氵Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 涡

JasonAmy

Podcast: 涡

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 涡

Quick Contrast

涡 (guō) vs 漩 (xuán): Use 涡 for general swirling motions or whirlpools, while 漩 specifically refers to a whirlpool or eddy in water.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'growing whirlpool' as you say 'guō', where the swirling water forms a circular shape. The character 涡 has the water radical 水 on the left, emphasizing its relationship with water, while the right side suggests the swirling motion of the eddy.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 涡 with similar words like 漩涡 (xuán guō), meaning 'whirlpool,' which is more specific. It is typically used in neutral contexts and can be found in both written and oral expressions. Pay attention to the tone 'guō', as a wrong tone can lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

While 涡 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it relates to HSK level 4 terms involving water and movement. Students should focus on recognizing the water radical and other related terms like 水 (water) and 流 (flow) to enhance context grasping.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, water plays a vital role in poetry and art, often symbolizing change and fluidity. The concept of eddies and whirlpools can represent the unpredictability of life, echoing themes in traditional literature.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly say 'guo' without the tone, confusing it with other words. For example, saying 'guo' (without the tone) could lead to misinterpretation as it has different meanings in Mandarin. Always ensure to use the correct tone 'guō'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 涡

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Etymology of 涡

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A mouth 呙 made of water 氵

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 涡?

Decomposition of 涡

IDS Structure⿰氵呙
涡Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
呙Guo1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 涡?

Write 涡

涡

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 涡

涡 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

最近的一场雨把瀑布搅成了泥水漩____。

The recent rain had churned up the waterfall into a muddy whirlpool.

Example Sentences for 涡 (9)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
最近的一场雨把瀑布搅成了泥水漩涡。

zuì jìn de yī cháng yǔ bǎ pù bù jiǎo chéng le ní shuǐ xuán wō。

The recent rain had churned up the waterfall into a muddy whirlpool.
2
风力涡轮机个头大、噪音响，还会破坏周边风景。

fēng lì wō lún jī gè tóu dà、 、 zào yīn， xiǎng ， huán huì pò huài zhōu biān。

Wind turbines are large and noisy and they disfigure the landscape.
3
下角标Z和E分别表示纬向分量和旋涡分量.

xià jiǎo biāoZ ZE hé E fēn bié biǎo shì wěi xiàng fēn liáng hé xuán wō.

Subscripts Z and E are for zonal and eddy components respectively.
4
这些烟圈出自他那带鸦片味的香烟头,形成各种光怪陆离的涡状花纹而袅袅上升.

zhè xiē yān quān chū zì tā nà dài yā piàn wèi de xiāng yān tóu, , xíng chéng gè zhǒng guāng guài lù lí de wō zhuàng huā wén ér niǎo niǎo shàng.

The wreaths of smoke curled up in such fanciful whorls from his opiumtainted cigarette.
5
墙纸是淡黄色的，上面饰以漩涡状叶片凸起图案。

qiáng zhǐ shì dàn huáng sè de， ， shàng miàn shì yǐ xuán wō zhuàng yè piàn tū qǐ tú。

The paper on the walls was pale gold, embossed with swirling leaf designs.
6
他盯着她指尖的涡纹和流纹。

tā dīng zháo tā zhǐ jiān de wō wén hé liú wén。

He stared at the whorls and lines of her fingertips.
7
因此,这种现象称为 “ 油膜振荡 ” 或 “ 共振涡动. ”

yīn cǐ, , zhè zhǒng xiàn xiàng chēng“ wéi “ yóu mó” zhèn“ dàng ” huò “.”

This phenomenon is therefore known as'oil whip'or'resonant whirl '.
8
涡轮喷气发动机和涡轮螺桨发动机更适用于飞机.

wō lún pēn qì fā dòng jī hé wō lún luó jiǎng fā dòng jī gēng shì yòng yú fēi jī.

The turbojet and the turboprop are much more satisfactory for airplanes.
9
涡轮螺桨发动机与涡轮发动机十分相似.

wō lún luó jiǎng fā dòng jī yǔ wō lún fā dòng jī shí fēn xiāng sì.

The turboprop engine is very much like the turbojet.

Cultural Notes for 涡

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, water plays a vital role in poetry and art, often symbolizing change and fluidity. The concept of eddies and whirlpools can represent the unpredictability of life, echoing themes in traditional literature.

Word Family of 涡

Words Containing This Character10
漩涡eddy漩渦
涡轮turbine渦輪
涡guōeddy渦
旋涡xuánwōspiral旋渦
涡旋eddy渦旋
涡阳县Guoyang county in Bozhou 亳州[Bó​zhōu], Anhui渦陽縣
涡阳Guoyang county in Bozhou 亳州[Bó​zhōu], Anhui渦陽
酒涡dimple酒渦
笑涡dimple笑渦
旋涡星云spiral nebula旋渦星雲
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 漩涡 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 涡

The correct pronunciation is 'guō' with a high level tone, which means it's pronounced with a steady pitch.