jyun1 jin4蜿蜒

Jyutpingjyun1 jin4

Yaleyyūn yình

Definition

(of a snake) to wriggle along

writtennaturedescriptions

How it's used

While this word is used in Cantonese, it is primarily a literary or formal term borrowed from written Chinese. In everyday spoken Cantonese, people are much more likely to use descriptive phrases like 彎彎曲曲 or 轉嚟轉去 to describe a winding path or road. It is rarely used in casual conversation unless one is trying to sound more descriptive or poetic.

Examples

tiu4 saan1 lou6 jyun2 jin4 kuk1 zit3 hou2 naan4 hang4 aa4

條山路蜿蜒曲折，好難行呀。

The mountain path is winding and twisty, it is hard to walk.

nei5 tai2 haa6 tiu4 ho4 jyun2 jin4 lau4 gwo3 go3 saan1 guk1

你睇下條河蜿蜒流過個山谷。

Look at the river winding through the valley.

Common phrases

jyun2 jin4 kuk1 zit3

蜿蜒曲折

winding and tortuous

jyun2 jin4 jin4 san1

蜿蜒延伸

to stretch out in a winding way

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a common everyday verb, but it is strictly an adjective used to describe the shape of something. Using it to describe the act of turning a vehicle or walking in a zigzag pattern will sound unnatural.