宛 (wǎn) - graceful, elegant & as if, as though

宛Tone 3

wǎn ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 宀

婷婉

宛 · wǎn

graceful, elegant;

as if, as though;

winding, curved;

used in names and place names.

graceful, elegantas if, as thoughwinding, curved

Usage highlights

as ifgraceful and windingWanping Citygraceful and beautifulWan Countymelodious

Synonyms

  • 婉— graceful, gentle
  • 弯— curved, bent
  • 似— resemble, similar to

Antonyms

  • 直— straight, direct
  • 粗— coarse, rough

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The garden is graceful and winding (宛转).
  • It looks as if (宛如) a dream.
  • The melody is melodious (宛转的 melody).
  • Wanping City is a historical site (宛平城).

Collocations

  • as if(宛如)
  • graceful and winding(宛转)
  • Wanping City(宛平城)
  • graceful and beautiful(宛丽)
  • Wan County(宛县)
  • melodious(宛转的)

Idioms

  • As graceful as a startled swan, as elegant as a swimming dragon(宛若惊鸿，婉若游龙)
  • Sound lingering around the beams(余音绕梁，三日不绝 — associated with 宛转)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Used historically in place names like Nanyang (南阳), abbreviated as 宛.
  • Conveys a sense of classical elegance and refinement in naming.
  • Associated with graceful, curved beauty in classical Chinese aesthetics.

FAQ