jyun1 jin4蜿蜒

Jyutpingjyun1 jin4

Yaleyūn yìhn

形容詞Uncommon

Definition

Winding or twisting like a snake; meandering, zigzagging, or bending.

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條saan1山lou6路jyun2蜿jin4蜒kuk1曲zit3折，hou2好naan4難hang4行aa4呀。

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

nei5你tai2睇haa6下tiu4條ho4河jyun2蜿jin4蜒lau4流gwo3過go3個saan1山guk1谷。

Look at the river winding through the valley.

Common phrases

jyun2蜿jin4蜒kuk1曲zit3折

winding and tortuous

jyun2蜿jin4蜒jin4延san1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.