漩 meaning and stroke order
Eddy, whirlpool
How to write 漩, stroke by stroke
14 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 漩
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- whirlpool
- eddy
- also pr. [xuan4]
How 漩 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Swirling 旋 water 氵; 旋 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 漩
漩 is water 氵 that turns 旋 (xuán, to revolve). Picture water spinning in a circle and you have a whirlpool. 旋 also gives the sound.
漩 almost always appears in the word 漩涡 (xuánwō), meaning a whirlpool. It is used literally for water and figuratively for being pulled into trouble. Example: 他卷入了一场政治漩涡。(Tā juǎnrù le yì chǎng zhèngzhì xuánwō.) He was drawn into a political whirlpool.
Common mistake: Learners often write 旋 without the water radical when they mean whirlpool. 旋 alone means to spin or revolve, as in 旋转 (xuánzhuǎn), while 漩涡 needs 氵. Also do not confuse 涡 (wō) in 漩涡 with 窝 (wō, nest).
Common words with 漩
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 漩涡 | xuánwō | whirlpool; eddy |
Questions about 漩
How many strokes are in 漩?
漩 is written with 14 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 漩 mean?
漩 (xuán) means eddy, whirlpool. A common word with it is 漩涡 (xuánwō), meaning "whirlpool; eddy".
How do you pronounce 漩?
漩 is pronounced xuán, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 漩?
The radical of 漩 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 漩 under this radical.
Is 漩 pronounced xuán or xuàn?
The standard reading is xuán, second tone. Dictionaries note xuàn as an alternative pronunciation, but xuán is what you will hear in 漩涡.
Can 漩 be used on its own as a word?
Rarely. In modern Chinese it is almost always part of 漩涡 (xuánwō). Using 漩 alone sounds literary or incomplete.