Chinese word

转弯

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhuǎn wān

Meaning

  • verbturn

Example

前面要转弯，你慢一点。qián miàn yào zhuǎn wān nǐ màn yì diǎn

You need to turn up ahead, so slow down a little.

Illustration for 转弯 (turn)

More examples

进入小区后要向左转弯。jìn rù xiǎo qū hòu yào xiàng zuó zhuǎn wān

After entering the residential community, turn left.

Core concept

A moving person or vehicle changes direction at a road corner or while following a curve.

Common phrases

  • 向左转弯xiàng zuó zhuǎn wān

    turn left

  • 向右转弯xiàng yòu zhuǎn wān

    turn right

  • 减速转弯jiǎn sù zhuǎn wān

    slow down to turn

Similar words

拐弯guǎi wān: Changing direction around a corner, especially in everyday talk about walking.
左转zuó zhuǎn: Turning toward the left, especially when giving directions or driving.
右转yòu zhuǎn: Turning toward the right, especially when giving directions or driving.
掉头diào tóu: Changing direction to face the way one came, making a U-turn.

Definition in Chinese

改变行进方向，指车辆或行人在道路上将前进方向向左或向右转动，或沿弯道通过。gǎi biàn xíng jìn fāng xiàng zhǐ chē liàng huò xíng rén zài dào lù shàng jiāng qián jìn fāng xiàng xiàng zuǒ huò xiàng yòu zhuǎn dòng huò yán wān dào tōng guò

Word origin

转 (zhuǎn, "turn or change") + 弯 (wān, "curve") directly builds a word for changing direction along a bend.

Usage tips

  • Chinese uses this as a verb for the movement itself, while English often treats the place where the path changes as a separate noun.

Other meanings

  • cornernoun
  • turn aroundverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word