Definitions

(adjective) bent; crooked
(noun) tune; song; melody
(noun) yeast; mold

Etymology

Pictograph of a bent object.

About

The character 曲 began as a pictogram depicting a bent object, establishing its early meaning of curvature or something not straight. In its contemporary form, it remains a unitary character without separable components. Over centuries, its semantic application expanded to encompass a musical piece or tune, and it also acquired the meaning of yeast or leaven, referring to the agent used in fermentation.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他唱了一首歌

Tā chàng le yī shǒu gēqǔ.

He sang a song.

山路弯难行。

Shānlù wānqū nán xíng.

The mountain road is winding and hard to travel.

这张图有一条线。

Zhè zhāng tú yǒu yī tiáo qūxiàn.

This graph has a curve.

爷爷喜欢看戏

Yéye xǐhuān kàn xìqǔ.

Grandpa likes watching traditional opera.

这首调很优美。

Zhè shǒu qǔdiào hěn yōuměi.

This melody is very beautiful.

不要扭事实真相。

Bùyào niǔqū shìshí zhēnxiàng.

Do not distort the truth.

解了我的意思。

Nǐ qūjiě le wǒ de yìsi.

You misinterpreted my meaning.

通过折的小径,我们找到了花园。

Tōngguò qūzhé de xiǎo jìng, wǒmen zhǎo dào le huāyuán.

Through the winding path, we found the garden.