宛

wǎn

夗 + 宀

Definitions

wǎn (adjective) winding; curving

wǎn (adverb) as if; like

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 宀 represents the meaning and 夗 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "building", now written as 館. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Semantic: 宀 Phonetic: 夗

About

宛 is a phono-semantic compound: 宀 (roof, house) suggests the meaning, and 夗 gives the sound. It originally meant "building", a sense now written as 館. Today the character is a phonetic loan used in two main ways: to describe a winding or tortuous shape, as of a road or river, and as an adverb meaning "as if" or "seemingly" to draw comparisons.

Etymology Hide

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

她的笑容宛如阳光。

Tā de xiàoróng wǎnrú yángguāng.

Her smile is just like sunshine.

他说话的声音很宛转。

Tā shuōhuà de shēngyīn hěn wǎnzhuǎn.

His speaking voice is very mild and indirect.

这里的景色宛然一幅画。

Zhèlǐ de jǐngsè wǎnrán yī fú huà.

The scenery here is just like a painting.

月光下的湖面宛似一面镜子。

Yuèguāng xià de húmiàn wǎn sì yī miàn jìngzi.

The lake surface under the moonlight is like a mirror.

她的歌声宛转悠扬，打动人心。

Tā de gēshēng wǎnzhuǎn yōuyáng, dǎdòng rénxīn.

Her singing voice is mild and melodious, touching people's hearts.

那座古老的建筑宛然矗立在城市中心。

Nà zuò gǔlǎo de jiànzhù wǎnrán chùlì zài chéngshì zhōngxīn.

That ancient building stands as if in the city center.

他的描述如此生动，宛将我们带回了那个时代。

Tā de miáoshù rúcǐ shēngdòng, wǎn jiāng wǒmen dài huíle nàgè shídài.

His description is so vivid, as if it brought us back to that era.

尽管岁月变迁，这里的风土人情宛昔日的模样，令人怀念。

Jǐnguǎn suìyuè biànqiān, zhèlǐ de fēngtǔ rénqíng wǎn xīrì de móyàng, lìng rén huáiniàn.

Despite the changes over time, the local customs and traditions here are like those of the past, making people nostalgic.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 夗

Component: 宀

宛