Comparing "zhuan" and "guai"

拐 and 转 both are verbs that mean to turn and oftentimes can be used interchangeably. 转 is used in used in informal/formal situations, whereas 拐 is used in informal situations. A key difference between these two is 转 is often used to say “turn” when driving a car on city streets or highways, while 拐 is often used to say “turn” when walking or riding a bike on narrow streets or small paths.

B1HSK5ASV4567

	拐 (guǎi)	转 (zhuǎn)
Meaning	to turn	to turn
Part of Speech	verb	verb
Formality	informal	flexible

:Yes

To say to turn oftentimes both 拐 and 转 can be used interchangeably.

Common Phrases

In the following examples both 拐 and 转 can be used.

• 右 转 / 拐yòu zhuǎn / guǎiturn right
• 左 转 / 拐zuǒ zhuǎn / guǎiturn left
• 往 右 转 / 拐wǎng yòu zhuǎn / guǎito the right turn
• 往 左 转 / 拐wǎng zuǒ zhuǎn / guǎito the left turn
• 向 右 转 / 拐xiàng yòu zhuǎn / guǎito the right turn
• 向 左 转 / 拐xiàng zuǒ zhuǎn / guǎito the left turn

Example Sentences

• 你 在 前 面 右 拐 就 到 了。Nǐ zài qián miàn yòu guǎi jiù dào le.You are just ahead on the right.
• 请 一直 走，然后 向 左 转。Qǐng yīzhí zǒu, ránhòu Xiàng zuǒ zhuǎn.Please keep going and turn left.
• 这里 只 可以 右 拐，不 可以 左 拐。Zhèlǐ zhǐ kěyǐ yòu guǎi，bù kěyǐ zuǒ guǎi.You can only turn right here, not left.

To say to turn in the sense of to shift or change the body’s position use 转

Common Phrases

In the following examples only 转 can be used.

• 向 后 转xiàng hòu zhuǎnturn backwards
• 转 身zhuǎn shēnturn around
• 转 脸zhuǎn liǎnturn your face
• 转 头zhuǎn tóuturn your head

Example Sentences

• 请 你 现在 向 后 转，你 就 可以 看 到 我 了。Qǐng nǐ xiànzài xiàng hòu zhuǎn, nǐ jiù kěyǐ kàn dào wǒ le.Please turn backwards now so you can see me.

To say “a good turn” as in a change for the better use 转.

Common Phrases

In the following examples only 转 can be used.

• 好 转hǎo zhuǎngood turn

Example Sentences

• 从 今年 一月份 开始 中国 的 经济 开始 好 转 了。Cóng jīnnián yīyuèfèn kāishǐ Zhōngguó de jīngjì kāishǐ hǎo zhuǎn le.Since January this year China's economy has started to improve.
• 最近 疫情 还是 很 严重，上海 的 情况 一直 没有 好 转。Zuìjìn yìqíng háishì hěn yánzhòng, Shànghǎi de qíngkuàng yīzhí méiyǒu hǎo zhuǎn.Recently the epidemic is still very serious and the situation in Shanghai has not improved.

Sources and further reading

Websites

"拐" 和 "转" 和有什么不一样? | HiNative https://zh.hinative.com/questions/18055423