卷 meaning and stroke order
To roll up; (fig.) to sweep up; to engulf; to drag into (a situation); (slang) to compete to an unhealthy degree; hypercompetitive
How to write 卷, stroke by stroke
8 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 卷
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to roll up
- (fig.) to sweep up; to engulf; to drag into (a situation)
- (slang) to compete to an unhealthy degree; hypercompetitive
- a roll
- classifier for small rolled-up things (wad of paper money, movie reel etc)
- to sweep up; to carry along
- scroll
- book
- volume
- chapter
- examination paper
- classifier for books, paintings: volume, scroll
How 卷 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A curled up scroll 㔾.
Radical: 㔾 (seal), shared by 5 characters on this site.
How to remember 卷
The bottom part 㔾 looks like a curled up scroll, and the top 龹 is like two hands rolling it. Picture hands rolling up a scroll and you have 卷 (juǎn), to roll.
Read juǎn for rolling and sweeping things up, as in 龙卷风 (lóngjuǎnfēng) tornado or 卷入 (juǎnrù) to be drawn into. Read juàn for papers and volumes, as in 试卷 (shìjuàn) test paper and 问卷 (wènjuàn) questionnaire. Example: 他被卷入了一场纠纷。(Tā bèi juǎnrù le yì chǎng jiūfēn.) He was dragged into a dispute.
Common mistake: Learners often say 试卷 with third tone, but here it is fourth tone: shìjuàn. Also do not confuse 卷 with 券 (quàn, ticket), which has 刀 at the bottom instead of 㔾.
Common words with 卷
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 试卷 | shìjuàn | examination paper; test paper | HSK 4 |
| 卷入 | juǎnrù | to be drawn into; to be involved in | HSK 7-9 |
| 卷子 | juànzi | steamed roll; spring roll | HSK 7-9 |
| 问卷 | wènjuàn | questionnaire | HSK 7-9 |
| 龙卷风 | lóngjuǎnfēng | tornado; hurricane | |
| 胶卷 | jiāojuǎn | roll of film | |
| 卷心菜 | juǎnxīncài | cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) (CL:棵[ke1]) | |
| 卷饼 | juǎnbǐng | rolled-up pastry; roll | |
| 卷发 | juǎnfà | curly hair; to curl hair | |
| 卷轴 | juànzhóu | scroll (book or painting) | |
| 席卷 | xíjuǎn | to engulf; to sweep | |
| 卷起 | juǎnqǐ | to roll up; to curl up | |
| 卷宗 | juànzōng | file; folder | |
| 蛋卷 | dànjuǎn | egg roll |
卷 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 卷
Learning 卷 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 卷
How many strokes are in 卷?
卷 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 卷 mean?
卷 (juǎn) means to roll up; (fig.) to sweep up; to engulf; to drag into (a situation); (slang) to compete to an unhealthy degree; hypercompetitive. A common word with it is 试卷 (shìjuàn), meaning "examination paper; test paper".
How do you pronounce 卷?
卷 is pronounced juǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 卷?
The radical of 卷 is 㔾, which carries the idea of "seal". Dictionaries list 卷 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 卷?
The traditional form of 卷 is 捲. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 卷 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 卷 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 卷 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 卷 mean as slang in modern Chinese?
In online slang, 卷 (juǎn) describes unhealthy, excessive competition, like everyone working longer hours just to keep up. You might hear 太卷了 (tài juǎn le), meaning it is way too competitive. It comes from 内卷 (nèijuǎn), involution.
How do I know whether to read 卷 as juǎn or juàn?
If it is an action of rolling or a rolled object like film or a roll, it is usually juǎn, as in 胶卷 (jiāojuǎn). If it refers to a book volume or an exam paper, it is juàn, as in 卷子 (juànzi) test paper.