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.
| 拐 (guǎi) | 转 (zhuǎn) | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | to turn | to turn |
| Part of Speech | verb | verb |
| Formality | informal | flexible |
Contents
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～
- 左～
- 往右～
- 往左～
- 向右～
- 向左～
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
- 转身
- 转脸
- 转头
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
