绕 (rào): to wind; to coil

Meanings

1 to wind; to coil
2 to go around; to make a detour
3 to circle; to revolve around

Characters

绕

rào

to wind around; to go around; to detour

Examples

地球绕太阳转。

Dìqiú rào tàiyáng zhuàn.

The Earth revolves around the Sun.

前面修路，我们绕道走吧。

Qiánmiàn xiūlù, wǒmen ràodào zǒu ba.

The road ahead is under construction, let's take a detour.

他绕了一大圈才找到那个地方。

Tā rào le yīdà quān cái zhǎodào nàge dìfang.

He went around in a big circle before finding that place.

别绕弯子了，直说吧。

Bié ràowānzi le, zhíshuō ba.

Stop beating around the bush, just say it directly.

Tips

usage

绕弯子 (rào wānzi) = to beat around the bush. 绕道 (ràodào) = to detour. 绕口令 (ràokǒulìng) = tongue twister (words that 'wind around' your mouth).

memory

纟(silk radical) + 尧 — imagine silk thread winding around and around something.

Components

radical

纟 sī

silk; thread (left-side form of 糸)

Left silk radical — the indexing component. The image is of a thread winding round and round something, the literal action 绕 names. 纟 puts 绕 alongside other binding/winding words: 缠 (wind around), 织 (weave), 结 (knot), 绳 (rope).

phonetic

尧 yáo

high; lofty (also a sage-king's name)

Right 尧 supplies the sound (yáo → rào, y/r drift). Phonetic family: 烧 (burn), 浇 (pour), 晓 (dawn), 饶 (forgive) — all keeping yáo/ráo/shāo readings tied to this right side. Pure phonetic role; no semantic carry-over from 尧's lofty meaning.