Skip to content
Kotomora

拗

crooked, twisted, distorted, perverted, cross

Strokes8

Readings

On'yomi

  • オウ
  • ヨウ
  • イク
  • ユウ

Kun'yomi

  • ねじ.れる
  • こじ.れる
  • す.ねる
  • ねじ.ける

Meaning

拗 centers on something being physically or metaphorically bent out of shape: crooked, twisted, distorted, or perverted. The sense of 'cross' (as in cross-grained or contrary) extends naturally from stubborn twistedness.

Most common words using 拗

  • 執拗いしつこい
    N3

    insistent; obstinate; persistent; tenacious

  • 執拗しつよう

    persistent; obstinate; tenacious; relentless; insistent; importunate; persevering; stubborn

  • 拗れこじれ

    complications; tangle

  • 拗ねるすねる
    N1

    to be peevish; to sulk; to pout

  • 拗れるこじれる
    N1

    to get complicated; to grow worse; to turn sour

  • 拗らせるこじらせる
    N1

    to aggravate; to complicate; to make worse

  • 拗けるねじける

    to curve; to twist; to be rebellious

  • 拗ね者すねもの

    perverse individual; cynic; misanthrope

  • 拗らすこじらす

    to make worse (e.g. disease); to aggravate; to complicate

  • 拗音ようおん

    contracted sound; palatalised sound (e.g. Japanese morae with small kana); palatalized sound

  • 開拗音かいようおん

    contracted sound

Explore all words using 拗 →

Study

Etymology

拗 combines 扌 (hand) with 幼, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of bending or twisting something small and delicate. The exact historical development is uncertain.

Meaning mnemonic

A hand 扌 twisting a young, delicate thread 幼 until it becomes crooked and distorted.

Reading mnemonic

For オウ, imagine a crooked old oak tree that has been twisted by the wind: oak -> オウ, and its branches are all bent out of shape.