罗圈腿 (luó quān tuǐ) — bowlegs, bandy legs (condition where the legs curve outward at the knees)

Definition

Literally "coil-leg," the colloquial term for bowlegs — a medical/physical condition where the knees curve outward. Distinct from O型腿 (medical/clinical label for the same condition) and X型腿 (knock-knees, the opposite shape).

noun
bowlegsbandy legs (condition where the legs curve outward at the knees)

Examples

  • 罗圈腿，。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù yǒu diǎn r luó quān tuǐ, zǒu lù shí hěn míng xiǎn.
    He has had slight bowlegs since childhood, and it's very noticeable when he walks.
  • 罗圈腿。
    Yī shēng shuō xiǎo hái zi de luó quān tuǐ dà duō néng zì rán jiǎo zhèng.
    The doctor said that most children's bowlegs can correct themselves naturally.
  • 罗圈腿，。
    Nà ge lǎo rén yīn wèi yán zhòng de luó quān tuǐ, zǒu lù xū yào guǎi zhàng.
    That elderly person needs a cane to walk because of severe bowlegs.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

罗圈hoop
罗luónet圈quāncircle
联合Side by side
腿tuǐleg

The 罗圈 image of a hoop gives the curve, and 腿 gives the legs.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 羅; 罗 is its simplified writing.

  • 网网wǎngnet
  • 維維wéibird (tied with string)

The traditional form 羅 combines 网 (net) with 維 (a bird tied with string) to show a net for catching birds; the simplified 罗 is a later abbreviation.

Open 罗 →

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
囗囗wéi
Sound part声符shēngfú
卷
卷juàn圈quān
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

圈 is made of the outer 囗, an enclosure shape, and the inner 卷, which gives the sound.

Open 圈 →

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
肉肉ròuflesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
退
退tuì腿tuǐ
Same sound today

The 肉 part is flesh, showing a body part; the 退 part gives the sound.

Open 腿 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.