遛弯 (liù wān) — (colloquial, Northern China) to take a leisurely walk, to go for a stroll

Definition

A colloquial Northern-Chinese verb meaning 'take a leisurely stroll,' usually for exercise or after a meal. It is a 离合词 (separable verb) — insert 一圈 or other measure phrases between 遛 and 弯 (e.g. 遛一圈).

verb
(colloquial, Northern China) to take a leisurely walkto go for a stroll

Examples

  • 遛弯。
    Yé ye měi tiān chī wán fàn dōu yào chū qù liù wān yì quān.
    Grandpa has to go out for a stroll after every meal.
  • 遛弯，。
    Zán men qù gōng yuán liù wān ba, jīn tiān tiān qì zhēn hǎo.
    Let's go for a walk in the park — the weather is really nice today.
  • 遛弯，。
    Bàng wǎn qù hé biān liù wān, tè bié shū fu.
    Going for a stroll by the river in the evening is especially comfortable.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

遛liúwalk
弯wānbend

The walking idea in 遛 joins the bend or turn in 弯 to describe strolling along a route.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalking
Sound part声符shēngfú
留
留liú遛liú
Same sound today

遛 uses 辵 to show walking and 留 to give the sound.

Open 遛 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 彎; 弯 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
弓弓gōngbow
Sound part声符shēngfú
䜌
䜌䜌彎wān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 彎 pairs 弓 (bow) with 䜌 as a sound part; the simplified 弯 is a later shorthand.

Open 弯 →

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