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紆 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
紆yūto twist, to turn, to bend; to distortzg, 9 strokes, radical 糹
yū(yu1) T1
  1. 1to twist, to turn, to bend; to distort
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March 24, 2026

紆yū(yu1)

The character 紆 (yū) conveys the idea of twisting or bending something in a way that alters its original shape. It is often used in contexts related to physical or metaphorical distortion, such as in discussions about language, ideas, or physical objects that are not straight or direct.

Strokes9Radical糹
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese philosophy, the concept of bending or twisting can symbolize flexibility and adaptability, reflecting a deeper understanding of life’s challenges and the need to adjust one’s approach.

Memory Tip

Imagine a twisted piece of yarn (the character's shape) that represents how something can be bent or turned. The sound 'yū' resembles the English word 'you,' as if you're saying 'you bend it this way!'

Meanings of 紆

yū(yu1)
1to twist, to turn, to bend; to distort
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 紆

紆Simplified
9Strokes
糹Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 紆

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Podcast: 紆

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AI Study Notes for 紆

Quick Contrast

扭 (niǔ) - use 紆 for a gentle or smooth bending, while 扭 implies a more forceful twisting.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 紆 with similar sounding characters like 余 (yú), which means 'surplus' or 'extra.' This character is more formal and may not frequently appear in everyday conversation, so be cautious about its context.

HSK Study Tips

Although 紆 is not included in the HSK levels, it shares components with other characters that express bending or twisting, such as 弯 (wān). Focus on practicing its pronunciation and understanding its usages in literature or formal writing.

Common Mistakes

Learners may incorrectly use 紆 in contexts where a simpler word like 弯 (wān) would suffice, such as saying '这条路很紆' instead of '这条路很弯.' Also, be careful with pronunciation, as mispronouncing it as 'yú' can lead to confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 紆

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Etymology of 紆

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

thread

Semantic (meaning)糹
+
Phonetic (sound)于
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 紆

  1. 1The meaning half糹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half于 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaythread
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 紆? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 紆?

Decomposition of 紆

IDS Structure⿰糹于
紆Full Character
=
糹si1
left
于Yu2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 紆?

How to say to twist, to turn, to bend; to distort in Chinese

“to twist, to turn, to bend; to distort” in Chinese is紆yū

The character 紆 (yū) conveys the idea of twisting or bending something in a way that alters its original shape. It is often used in contexts related to physical or metaphorical distortion, such as in discussions about language, ideas, or physical objects that are not straight or direct.

When to use 紆

Learners often confuse 紆 with similar sounding characters like 余 (yú), which means 'surplus' or 'extra.' This character is more formal and may not frequently appear in everyday conversation, so be cautious about its context.

紆 or something close to it

扭 (niǔ) - use 紆 for a gentle or smooth bending, while 扭 implies a more forceful twisting.

What learners get wrong

Learners may incorrectly use 紆 in contexts where a simpler word like 弯 (wān) would suffice, such as saying '这条路很紆' instead of '这条路很弯.' Also, be careful with pronunciation, as mispronouncing it as 'yú' can lead to confusion.

Write 紆

紆

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 紆

Words Containing This Character1
纡yūwinding紆
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 纡 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 紆

You can use it in a phrase like '这条路很紆曲' (This road is very winding) to describe something that twists or turns.

Jason Recommends

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