曲 (qū) - bent, curved & crooked

曲Tone 1

qū ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 曰

情仁

曲 · qū

bent, curved;

crooked;

wrong, unjust;

yeast, leaven;

melody, tune, song

bent, curvedcrookedwrong, unjust

Usage highlights

songmelodybent/curveddistortionyeastmusic composition

Synonyms

  • 弯— bent, curved
  • 歌— song
  • 谣— ballad, folk song

Antonyms

  • 直— straight, upright
  • 正— correct, proper

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The road is winding (弯曲的道路).
  • This is a beautiful song (歌曲).
  • Yeast is used in brewing (酵母).
  • He told an untruth (歪曲事实).

Collocations

  • song(歌曲)
  • melody(曲调)
  • bent/curved(弯曲)
  • distortion(歪曲)
  • yeast(酵母)
  • music composition(作曲)

Idioms

  • A winding path leads to a secluded spot(曲径通幽)
  • To distort the facts(歪曲事实)
  • To sing the same tune(同曲同工)
  • To adapt to circumstances(委曲求全)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese philosophy, '曲' represents the principle of flexibility and adaptability, as expressed in Daoist texts.
  • The character appears in many classical Chinese musical terms and opera traditions.
  • It carries both positive (artistic, flexible) and negative (crooked, unjust) connotations depending on context.

FAQ