弯 meaning and stroke order
To bend; bent; a bend; a turn (in a road etc)
How to write 弯, stroke by stroke
9 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 弯
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to bend
- bent
- a bend; a turn (in a road etc)
How 弯 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Like 亦 a bow 弓.
Radical: 弓 (bow), shared by 29 characters on this site.
How to remember 弯
The bottom of 弯 is 弓 (gōng), a bow, and a bow is bent by nature. The top looks like 亦 (yì), so picture a bow that is also curved, bending like a road that turns.
弯 works as a verb (to bend), an adjective (bent, curved), and a noun (a bend or turn). It appears most often in words about turning and curving, like 转弯 (zhuǎnwān) and 弯腰 (wānyāo). Example: 前面路口右转弯。(Qiánmiàn lùkǒu yòu zhuǎnwān.) Turn right at the next intersection.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 弯 (wān, bend) with 湾 (wān, bay), which adds the water radical 氵 and refers to a curved shoreline, as in 台湾 (Táiwān). The two share a sound, so check whether you mean a bend in general or a body of water.
Common words with 弯
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 转弯 | zhuǎnwān | to turn; to go around a corner | HSK 4 |
| 弯曲 | wānqū | to bend; to curve around | HSK 6 |
| 拐弯 | guǎiwān | to go round a curve; to turn a corner | HSK 7-9 |
| 急转弯 | jízhuǎnwān | to make a sudden turn | HSK 7-9 |
| 走弯路 | zǒu wānlù | to take an indirect route; to waste one's time by using an inappropriate method | HSK 7-9 |
| 弯腰 | wānyāo | to stoop | |
| 拐弯抹角 | guǎiwānmòjiǎo | lit. going round the curves and skirting the corners (idiom); fig. to speak in a roundabou | |
| 弯道 | wāndào | winding road; road curve | |
| 臂弯 | bìwān | crook of the arm |
弯 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 弯
Learning 弯 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 弯
How many strokes are in 弯?
弯 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 弯 mean?
弯 (wān) means to bend; bent; a bend; a turn (in a road etc). A common word with it is 转弯 (zhuǎnwān), meaning "to turn; to go around a corner".
How do you pronounce 弯?
弯 is pronounced wān, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 弯?
The radical of 弯 is 弓, which carries the idea of "bow". Dictionaries list 弯 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 弯?
The traditional form of 弯 is 彎. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 弯 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 弯 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 弯 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 转弯 and 拐弯?
Both mean to turn a corner and are often interchangeable. 拐弯 (guǎiwān) sounds a bit more colloquial and northern, while 转弯 (zhuǎnwān) is common in both speech and writing, such as traffic signs.
What does 走弯路 mean figuratively?
Literally it means to take a roundabout road. Figuratively it means wasting time or effort by using the wrong method, for example 别走弯路 (bié zǒu wānlù), don't take the long way around.