玩 (wán) - to play & to have fun

玩Tone 2

wán ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 王

婷婉

玩 · wán

to play;

to have fun;

to amuse oneself;

to toy with;

to appreciate;

an object for appreciation

to playto have funto amuse oneself

Usage highlights

to playto play gamestoyto have funto play withto appreciate

Synonyms

  • 玩耍— to play, to have fun
  • 游戏— to play games, to sport
  • 嬉戏— to frolic, to play merrily

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Children love to play (玩) in the park.
  • We played games (玩游戏) all evening.
  • He enjoys playing with toys (玩玩具).
  • This antique is worth appreciating (玩赏).

Collocations

  • to play(玩)
  • to play games(玩游戏)
  • toy(玩具)
  • to have fun(玩耍)
  • to play with(玩弄)
  • to appreciate(玩赏)

Idioms

  • To regard as a mere game(玩世不恭)
  • To play with fire(玩火自焚)
  • To amuse oneself with mountains and waters(游山玩水)
  • To toy with something in one's palm(玩于股掌之上)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, '玩' carries both positive connotations of leisure and negative connotations of frivolity when overdone.
  • The character reflects the Confucian emphasis on balancing serious study with appropriate recreation.
  • In art collecting, '玩赏' refers to the refined appreciation of cultural artifacts.

FAQ