noun
Refers to a bent or curved part of something, such as a pipe, road, or anatomical structure. Often used in technical or descriptive contexts.
このパイプの屈曲部にごみがたまりやすい。
Debris tends to accumulate at the bend of this pipe.
道路の屈曲部では速度を落としてください。
Please slow down at the curved section of the road.
湾曲部 also means a curved part, but 湾曲 suggests a gentle, sweeping curve, whereas 屈曲 implies a sharper bend or angle.
Compound of 屈曲 (bend, curve) and 部 (part, section). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word follows a standard Sino-Japanese compounding pattern.