转弯
zhuǎn wān · HSK 4
to turn
🔄 转 = turn/rotate + 弯 = bend/curve
转 means to turn or rotate; 弯 means a bend or curve. Together 转弯 literally combines turn + bend, giving the sense of turning a corner or making a turn along a curved path.
转 — car radical 车 + 专 (phonetic)
转 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left side 车 (cart/wheel) gives the meaning, evoking something that turns or rotates like a wheel. The right side 专 supplies the sound. Originally referring to the turning of a cart's wheels, it broadened to mean 'turn,' 'rotate,' or 'shift' in general.
弯 — bow 弓 + 䜌 (phonetic)
A phono-semantic compound: 弓 (bow) gives the meaning 'curved, bent,' since a drawn bow forms an arc, while 䜌 supplies the sound. The simplified form 弯 keeps 弓 below a reduced top component. The core sense has always been 'bend' or 'curve.'