彎 meaning and stroke order
Bend, curve, turn
How to write 彎, stroke by stroke
22 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 彎
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to bend
- bent
- a bend; a turn (in a road etc)
How 彎 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Bow.
弓 gives the meaning and 䜌 hints at the sound.
Radical: 弓 (bow), shared by 29 characters on this site.
How to remember 彎
The bottom part 弓 (gōng) is a bow, and a drawn bow is the classic picture of something bent. The top part 䜌 gives the sound, so think of a bow being pulled into a curve: wān.
彎 (wān) works as a verb meaning to bend, an adjective meaning bent or curved, and a noun meaning a bend or turn in a road. It appears in many everyday words like 轉彎 (zhuǎnwān, to turn) and 彎腰 (wānyāo, to stoop). Example: 前面路口往左轉彎。(Qiánmiàn lùkǒu wǎng zuǒ zhuǎnwān.) Turn left at the next intersection.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 彎 (wān, bend) with 灣 (wān, bay). They sound the same, but 灣 has the water radical 氵 and refers to a bay or gulf, as in 台灣 (Táiwān). Another slip is writing 弓 wrong, so remember the bottom is a bow, not 弔.
Common words with 彎
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 轉彎 | zhuǎnwān | to turn; to go around a corner | HSK 4 |
| 彎曲 | wānqū | to bend; to curve around | HSK 6 |
| 拐彎 | guǎiwān | to go round a curve; to turn a corner | HSK 7-9 |
| 急轉彎 | jízhuǎnwān | to make a sudden turn | HSK 7-9 |
| 走彎路 | zǒu wānlù | to take an indirect route; to waste one's time by using an inappropriate method | HSK 7-9 |
| 彎腰 | wānyāo | to stoop | |
| 拐彎抹角 | guǎiwānmòjiǎo | lit. going round the curves and skirting the corners (idiom); fig. to speak in a roundabou | |
| 彎道 | wāndào | winding road; road curve | |
| 臂彎 | bìwān | crook of the arm |
Characters that contain 彎
Learning 彎 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 彎
How many strokes are in 彎?
彎 is written with 22 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 彎 mean?
彎 (wān) means bend, curve, turn. A common word with it is 转弯 (zhuǎnwān), meaning "to turn; to go around a corner".
How do you pronounce 彎?
彎 is pronounced wān, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 彎?
The radical of 彎 is 弓, which carries the idea of "bow". Dictionaries list 彎 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 彎?
彎 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 弯, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What does 走彎路 (zǒu wānlù) mean figuratively?
Literally it means to take a winding road. Figuratively it means to waste time or effort by doing something the wrong way before finding the right method. It is often used when giving advice, like 少走彎路 (shǎo zǒu wānlù), avoid unnecessary detours.
How do you say someone is beating around the bush using 彎?
Use the idiom 拐彎抹角 (guǎiwān mòjiǎo), which means speaking in a roundabout, indirect way. For example, 別拐彎抹角了，直說吧。(Bié guǎiwān mòjiǎo le, zhí shuō ba.) Stop beating around the bush and just say it.