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拐弯 (guǎi wān) — to turn (a corner, a curve); (figurative) to change direction, to take a new turn (in thinking, conversation, etc.)

Definition

拐弯 means 'to turn (a corner)' on the road, and figuratively 'to change direction' in thought or conversation. It is a separable verb: 拐一个弯 (turn a corner), not 拐弯一个.

verb
to turn (a corner, a curve)(figurative) to change directionto take a new turn (in thinking, conversation, etc.)

Examples

  • 拐弯。
    Chē zài qián miàn lù kǒu guǎi wān le.
    The car turned at the intersection ahead.
  • 拐弯，。
    Tán huà zhōng tā hū rán guǎi wān, shuō qǐ le bié de shì.
    In the middle of the conversation, he suddenly turned and started talking about something else.
  • 。
    Tā guǎi le yí gè wān jiù kàn bú jiàn le.
    He made a turn and then was out of sight.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

拐guǎiturn
弯wāncurve

拐 and 弯 combine the idea of turning a curve, meaning to turn a corner or take a new direction.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
冎
冎guǎ拐guǎi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拐 pairs 扌, a hand radical written in full as 手, with 冎, which provides the sound guǎ.

Open 拐 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 5Directions

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