蜒 meaning and stroke order
Millipede
How to write 蜒, stroke by stroke
12 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 蜒
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- slug
- used in 蜿蜒[wan1 yan2]
How 蜒 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Insect.
虫 gives the meaning and 延 hints at the sound.
Radical: 虫 (insect), shared by 197 characters on this site.
How to remember 蜒
蜒 combines 虫 (insect, crawling creature) with 延 (yán, to extend), which also gives the sound. Picture a long creature stretching itself out as it crawls along.
蜒 almost never appears alone in modern Chinese. You will meet it in the word 蜿蜒 (wānyán), which describes something winding or snaking along, like a road, river, or mountain path. Example: 小河蜿蜒流过村子。(Xiǎo hé wānyán liú guò cūnzi.) The little river winds through the village.
Common mistake: Learners often write 蜿延 with plain 延, dropping the 虫 radical, since both share the sound yán. In 蜿蜒 both characters take 虫, so keep the insect radical on each.
Common words with 蜒
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 蜿蜒 | wānyán | (of a snake) to wriggle along; (of a river etc) to zigzag; to meander; to wind |
蜒 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 蜒
How many strokes are in 蜒?
蜒 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 蜒 mean?
蜒 (yán) means millipede. A common word with it is 蜿蜒 (wānyán), meaning "(of a snake) to wriggle along; (of a river etc) to zigzag; to meander; to wind".
How do you pronounce 蜒?
蜒 is pronounced yán, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 蜒?
The radical of 蜒 is 虫, which carries the idea of "insect". Dictionaries list 蜒 under this radical.
Can 蜿蜒 describe things other than snakes?
Yes. It is commonly used for rivers, roads, mountain ranges, and walls, such as the Great Wall winding over hills. It describes a long, curving, twisting shape or movement.
How is 蜿蜒 pronounced?
It is wānyán, first tone then second tone. Both syllables are fully pronounced, so do not make the second one neutral.