蜿

wān
宛 + 虫

Definitions

wān used in 蜿蜒[wān yán]

Etymology

Crooked 宛 like an insect 虫; 宛 also provides the pronunciation

About

The character 蜿 combines the insect radical 虫 with the phonetic 宛 (wǎn), which also conveys the meaning "crooked". The radical indicates a creeping creature, while 宛 supplies both the sound and a sense of bending, so 蜿 suggests the crooked, wriggling motion of an insect or snake. It appears predominantly in the compound 蜿蜒 (wānyán), which first described the undulating movement of snakes or dragons and later broadened to any winding path, such as a river, road, or mountain range.

Example Sentences Hide

小路蜿蜒向前。

Xiǎo lù wān yán xiàng qián.

The small path winds forward.

河流蜿蜒流过山谷。

Hé liú wān yán liú guò shān gǔ.

The river winds through the valley.

蜿蜒的公路穿过森林。

Wān yán de gōng lù chuān guò sēn lín.

The winding road passes through the forest.

这条蜿蜒的小溪最终汇入大江。

Zhè tiáo wān yán de xiǎo xī zuì zhōng huì rù dà jiāng.

This winding stream eventually flows into the big river.

山脉蜿蜒起伏，景色十分壮丽。

Shān mài wān yán qǐ fú, jǐng sè shí fēn zhuàng lì.

The mountains wind and roll, the scenery is very magnificent.

我们沿着蜿蜒的步道攀登，终于到达山顶。

Wǒ men yán zhe wān yán de bù dào pān dēng, zhōng yú dào dá shān dǐng.

We climbed along the winding trail and finally reached the mountaintop.

他的叙述蜿蜒曲折，让人难以捉摸。

Tā de xù shù wān yán qū zhé, ràng rén nán yǐ zhuō mō.

His narration is winding and twisty, making it hard to grasp.

在晨曦中，蜿蜒的河流像一条银色的丝带，镶嵌在绿色的原野上。

Zài chén xī zhōng, wān yán de hé liú xiàng yī tiáo yín sè de sī dài, xiāng qiàn zài lǜ sè de yuán yě shàng.

In the morning light, the winding river is like a silver ribbon, inlaid on the green fields.

Related Characters

Component: 宛

碗 腕 婉 惋 畹 豌 琬 剜 菀 箢 鹓 鋺 埦 惌

Component: 虫

虽 独 触 融 虫 蛋 蛇 蜂 蜜 蛮 虹 蝶 螺 蚁

Example Words

蜿蜒