转 meaning and stroke order
To turn; to change direction; to transfer
How to write 转, 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.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
Meaning of 转
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to turn
- to change direction
- to transfer
- to forward (mail)
- (Internet) to share (sb else's content)
- see 轉文|转文[zhuai3 wen2]
- to revolve
- to turn
- to circle about
- to walk about
- classifier for revolutions (per minute etc): revs, rpm
- classifier for repeated actions
How 转 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Cart.
车 gives the meaning and 专 hints at the sound.
Radical: 车 (cart), shared by 50 characters on this site.
How to remember 转
转 is pictophonetic: the left part 车 (chē, cart) gives the meaning, since a cart's wheels turn. The right part 专 (zhuān) gives a sound close to zhuǎn.
As zhuǎn, it means to turn or change direction, to transfer, or to forward something, including sharing a post online. As zhuàn, it means to spin or revolve, as in 转动 style motion around an axis. Example: 前面路口右转。(Qiánmiàn lùkǒu yòu zhuǎn.) Turn right at the next intersection.
Common mistake: Learners often write the right side 专 with an extra dot or confuse it with 传 (chuán), which shares 专 but has the person radical. Also watch the tone: changing direction is zhuǎn (third tone), but spinning around is zhuàn (fourth tone).
Common words with 转
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 转变 | zhuǎnbiàn | to change; to transform | HSK 3 |
| 转移 | zhuǎnyí | to shift; to relocate; to transfer; (fig.) to shift (attention); to change (the subject et | HSK 4 |
| 转身 | zhuǎnshēn | (of a person) to turn round; to face about | HSK 4 |
| 转告 | zhuǎngào | to pass on; to communicate | HSK 4 |
| 转动 | zhuǎndòng | to turn sth around; to swivel | HSK 4 |
| 转弯 | zhuǎnwān | to turn; to go around a corner | HSK 4 |
| 转向 | zhuǎnxiàng | to change direction; fig. to change one's stance | HSK 5 |
| 转换 | zhuǎnhuàn | to change; to switch | HSK 5 |
| 转化 | zhuǎnhuà | to change; to turn; to convert; (genetics) to transform | HSK 5 |
| 转让 | zhuǎnràng | to transfer (ownership, rights etc) | HSK 5 |
| 旋转 | xuánzhuǎn | to rotate; to revolve | HSK 6 |
| 好转 | hǎozhuǎn | to improve; to take a turn for the better | HSK 6 |
| 运转 | yùnzhuǎn | to work; to operate | HSK 7-9 |
| 转达 | zhuǎndá | to pass on; to convey | HSK 7-9 |
转 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 转
How many strokes are in 转?
转 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 转 mean?
转 (zhuǎn) means to turn; to change direction; to transfer. A common word with it is 转变 (zhuǎnbiàn), meaning "to change; to transform".
How do you pronounce 转?
转 is pronounced zhuǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 转?
The radical of 转 is 车, which carries the idea of "cart". Dictionaries list 转 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 转?
The traditional form of 转 is 轉. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 转 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 转 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 转 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
When is 转 pronounced zhuàn instead of zhuǎn?
Use zhuàn for spinning or circling, such as 地球绕着太阳转 (dìqiú ràozhe tàiyáng zhuàn), the Earth revolves around the sun. It is also zhuàn in 转转 (zhuànzhuan, to stroll around) and as a classifier for revolutions, like 每分钟三千转 (3000 rpm).
What does 转 mean on Chinese social media?
On the internet 转 means to share or repost someone else's content, often seen as 转发 (zhuǎnfā). People may write 求转 to ask others to share a post.