柔 (róu) - soft & flexible

柔Tone 2

róu ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical: 木

榕儒

柔 · róu

soft;

flexible;

gentle;

yielding;

supple;

tender;

mild

softflexiblegentle

Usage highlights

soft and gentlesoft and pliablegentle and kindflexible and toughsoft voicegentle breeze

Synonyms

  • 软— soft (physical property)
  • 温和— gentle, mild (temperament)
  • 柔顺— pliable, docile

Antonyms

  • 刚— hard, rigid, strong
  • 硬— hard, stiff
  • 烈— intense, fiery

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The fabric is very soft (柔软).
  • She has a gentle personality (性格柔和).
  • The flexible branch (柔韧的树枝) bends without breaking.
  • Use gentle force (柔和的力量) to avoid damage.

Collocations

  • soft and gentle(柔和)
  • soft and pliable(柔软)
  • gentle and kind(温柔)
  • flexible and tough(柔韧)
  • soft voice(柔声)
  • gentle breeze(柔风)

Idioms

  • Gentle and refined(温柔敦厚)
  • Softness overcomes hardness(以柔克刚)
  • Gentle as water(柔情似水)
  • Outer softness, inner firmness(外柔内刚)
  • Gentle and virtuous(柔嘉维则)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Daoist philosophy, softness and flexibility are valued as superior to rigidity (e.g., water overcomes rock).
  • Traditionally associated with feminine virtues in Confucian gender roles.
  • Represents the ideal of yielding to overcome stronger forces, as described in the Dao De Jing.

FAQ