Definitions

guō name of a river
eddy; whirlpool

Etymology

A mouth  made of water 

About

The character "涡", meaning whirlpool or vortex, structurally combines the water radical "氵" with the phonetic component "呙" in its simplified form, while its traditional counterpart "渦" uses the phonetic element "咼" to suggest pronunciation. Etymologically, it derives from the concept of water in circular motion, with the phonetic component historically associated with curvature or twisting, thereby reinforcing the idea of a spiral flow. Initially referring specifically to water eddies, its meaning over time broadened to include any whirl-like formation, such as in meteorological phenomena like air vortices or in anatomical references like dimples, yet its core semantic tie to rotational movement in fluids persisted.

Example Sentences Hide

河里有个大漩

Hé lǐ yǒu gè dà xuánwō.

There is a big whirlpool in the river.

船要避开那个漩

Chuán yào bìkāi nàge xuánwō.

The boat must avoid that whirlpool.

她笑起来有酒

Tā xiào qǐlái yǒu jiǔwō.

She has dimples when she smiles.

流会产生热量。

Wōliú huì chǎnshēng rèliàng.

Eddy currents generate heat.

的水流很危险。

Xuánwō de shuǐliú hěn wēixiǎn.

The current of the whirlpool is very dangerous.

他被卷入政治的漩

Tā bèi juǎnrù zhèngzhì de xuánwō.

He was drawn into the whirlpool of politics.

工程师设计了扇发动机。

Gōngchéngshī shèjì le wōshàn fādòngjī.

The engineer designed a turbofan engine.

在风暴中心,气流形成了巨大的旋。

Zài fēngbào zhōngxīn, qìliú xíngchéng le jùdà de wōxuán.

At the center of the storm, the air flow formed a huge vortex.