旋 (xuán) — to spin, to revolve, to whirl
Definition
旋 (xuán) is a literary/technical verb meaning 'to spin, to revolve' — close in sense to 转 zhuàn but more formal and written, often used for celestial or mechanical rotation (地球, 陀螺).
verb
to spinto revolveto whirl
Easily confused
- 施shīlook-alike(bound form) to bestow; to give
- 悬xuánsound-aliketo hang, to suspend
- 旌jīnglook-alikebanner, flag (in literary compounds)
- 玄xuánsound-alikemysterious, profound, abstruse
- 族zúlook-alike(suffix) ethnic group, race, or race; also used for clans and lineages
- 旅lǚlook-aliketravel (bound form, used in compounds like 旅行 and 旅游)
Examples
- 旋。Tuó luó zài zhuō miàn shàng xuán gè bù tíng.The top is spinning non-stop on the table.
- 。Dì qiú zài tài kōng zhōng bù tíng xuán zhuǎn.The earth spins endlessly in space.
- 。Fēng chē de yè piàn bèi dà fēng chuī dé fēi kuài xuán zhuǎn.The windmill blades were blown to spin quickly by the strong wind.
Origin
Compound ideograph六书liùshū
会意huìyìTwo or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.
- 㫃㫃㫃flag
- 止止zhǐfoot
- 〇〇língcircle
旋 combines 㫃 (a flag), 止 (a foot), and 〇 (a circle), and 〇 also gave the sound.
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