(lián) - to tangle & to entangle

Tone 2

lián | 16 strokes | radical:

· lián

to tangle;

to entangle;

a knot;

a complication;

to intertwine.

to tangleto entanglea knot

Usage highlights

to become tangledtangled threadcomplicated situationto disentanglea knot of fate

Synonyms

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The threads became tangled (縺れる).
  • A complicated relationship (縺れた関係).
  • The plot of the story is intricate (物語の筋が縺れている).

Collocations

  • to become tangled(縺れる)
  • tangled thread(縺れた糸)
  • complicated situation(縺れた状況)
  • to disentangle(縺れを解く)
  • a knot of fate(運命の縺れ)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Primarily used in Japanese contexts; rare in modern Chinese.
  • Often appears in classical Japanese literature to describe complex situations or entangled threads.

FAQ