缭绕 (liáo rǎo) — to curl up (of smoke, mist, etc.); to hang around, to linger (of fragrance, sound, etc.)

Definition

A literary verb for things (smoke, mist, fragrance, sound) that drift and curl through the air around you. Almost always used with 着 for an ongoing, atmospheric scene — not a physical motion.

verb
to curl up (of smoke, mist, etc.)to hang aroundto linger (of fragrance, sound, etc.)

Examples

  • 缭绕。
    Fáng jiān lǐ liáo rǎo zhe dàn dàn de yān wù.
    The room was filled with light curling smoke.
  • 缭绕。
    Shān dǐng shàng liáo rǎo zhe bái yún.
    White clouds curled around the mountain top.
  • 缭绕。
    Huā yuán lǐ huā xiāng liáo rǎo.
    The fragrance of flowers lingered in the garden.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

缭liáowind around
绕ràowind around

缭 and 绕 both mean to wind or circle around, together describing smoke or sound lingering.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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 繞; 绕 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
堯
堯yáo繞rào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 繞 pairs 糸 (rope) with 堯 as a sound component; the simplified 绕 is a later shorthand.

Open 绕 →

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