彎 (wān) - Bend, curve, flex & to make something curved

彎Tone 1

wān ｜ 22 strokes ｜ radical:

婷婉

彎 · wān

Bend, curve, flex;

to make something curved;

winding, meandering;

a bend or curve in something.

Bend, curve, flexto make something curvedwinding, meandering

Usage highlights

Curved roadBend overCurved lineHairpin bendCurved bridgeBend a bow

Synonyms

  • 曲— curved, bent
  • 折— to bend, to fold

Antonyms

  • 直— straight
  • 平— flat, level

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The road bends ahead (道路彎曲).
  • He bent the wire into a circle (他把鐵絲彎成圓形).
  • The river makes a sharp bend here (河流在這裡有一個急彎).
  • She has naturally curly hair (她天生頭髮彎曲).

Collocations

  • Curved road(彎路)
  • Bend over(彎腰)
  • Curved line(彎線)
  • Hairpin bend(髮夾彎)
  • Curved bridge(彎橋)
  • Bend a bow(彎弓)

Idioms

  • Winding path leading to seclusion(曲徑通幽)
  • Full of twists and turns(彎彎曲曲)
  • Turn hostility into friendship(化敵為友 - related concept in turning/bending relationships)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese philosophy, the concept of bending rather than breaking is valued, as seen in the flexibility of bamboo.
  • The character appears in many geographical names describing winding rivers or mountain roads.
  • In traditional archery, 'bending the bow' (彎弓) was an important martial skill.

FAQ