蟠 (pán) - coiled & curled up

蟠Tone 2

pán ｜ 18 strokes ｜ radical:

柠七

蟠 · pán

coiled;

curled up;

winding;

to curl;

to coil;

to spiral;

often used to describe something that is curled or coiled like a dragon or snake.

coiledcurled upwinding

Usage highlights

coiled dragoncurled upwinding roadcoiled rootscurled up like a dragoncoiled around

Synonyms

  • 盘— to coil; to wind; a plate
  • 曲— bent; crooked; a tune
  • 蜷— to curl up; to coil

Antonyms

  • 伸— to stretch; to extend
  • 直— straight

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The dragon coiled around the pillar (蟠龙).
  • The snake curled up in the grass (蟠曲).
  • The road winds through the mountains (蟠道).
  • The ancient tree has gnarled, coiled roots (蟠根).

Collocations

  • coiled dragon(蟠龙)
  • curled up(蟠曲)
  • winding road(蟠道)
  • coiled roots(蟠根)
  • curled up like a dragon(蟠踞)
  • coiled around(蟠绕)

Idioms

  • Dragon coiling, tiger crouching(龙蟠虎踞)
  • Coiled dragon and crouching tiger(蟠龙卧虎)
  • The dragon coils and the phoenix soars(龙蟠凤逸)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese mythology and art, dragons are often depicted in a coiled or winding posture, symbolizing latent power and majesty.
  • The character 蟠 is frequently used in classical literature to describe the majestic, coiled form of dragons, representing potential and hidden strength.
  • It appears in place names and poetic descriptions of landscapes that are winding or coiled in shape.

FAQ