捩 (liè) - To twist & to turn

捩Tone 4

liè ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

嘹林

捩 · liè

To twist;

to turn;

to wring;

to bend out of shape.

To twistto turnto wring

Usage highlights

Twist and turnWring outTwist the bodyTurn the headBend out of shapeTwist forcefully

Synonyms

  • 扭— To twist; to turn
  • 转— To turn; to rotate
  • 拧— To twist; to wring

Antonyms

  • 直— Straight; direct
  • 正— Upright; correct

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He twisted the wet towel to wring out the water (捩干毛巾).
  • The strong wind twisted the metal railing (风捩弯了栏杆).
  • She turned her head away in anger (她生气地捩过头去).
  • The mechanic used a wrench to turn the bolt (用扳手捩螺栓).

Collocations

  • Twist and turn(捩转)
  • Wring out(捩干)
  • Twist the body(捩身)
  • Turn the head(捩头)
  • Bend out of shape(捩曲)
  • Twist forcefully(强捩)

Idioms

  • To turn the tide(扭转捩回)
  • Twists and turns(曲折捩转)
  • To turn grief into strength(化悲痛为力量，捩转情绪)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character appears in classical Chinese texts describing physical manipulation or turning motions.
  • Used in technical contexts for mechanical turning or twisting actions.
  • Less common in modern everyday language but preserved in specific technical and literary contexts.

FAQ