蝸 (wō) - Snail & spiral

蝸Tone 1

wō ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

蝸 · wō

Snail;

spiral;

slow-moving.

Snailspiralslow-moving.

Usage highlights

SnailSnail shellLiving in a cramped spaceSpiral shapeSnail's paceWorm gear

Synonyms

  • 螺— spiral shell; snail
  • 慢— slow (in terms of speed)

Antonyms

  • 快— fast; quick
  • 速— speed; rapid

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The snail crawls slowly (蜗牛爬得很慢).
  • We live in a small apartment (蜗居).
  • The spiral staircase is beautiful (蜗旋楼梯).
  • Snail mail is slower than email (蜗牛邮件).

Collocations

  • Snail(蜗牛)
  • Snail shell(蜗壳)
  • Living in a cramped space(蜗居)
  • Spiral shape(蜗旋)
  • Snail's pace(蜗行牛步)
  • Snail-like(蜗状)

Idioms

  • Snail's horn battle(蜗角之争)
  • Snail's dwelling(蜗舍荆扉)
  • Living in a snail's shell(蜗庐四壁)
  • Snail's contest(蜗角虚名)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese culture, snails symbolize slowness, patience, and humble living conditions.
  • The character appears in classical literature describing modest dwellings and petty disputes.
  • 蜗居 became popular in modern Chinese to describe living in extremely small urban apartments.

FAQ