ENESFRDE中文

Characters, words, pinyin or English

缓 huǎn slow

slow; gradual; to postpone; to defer

How to remember 缓: 纟 thread + 爰 pulling across = slow. Grandma threads her needle and, pulling across the thick wool with a long thread again and again, makes slow progress on the quilt.

  • HSK 5
  • 12 strokes
  • Radical 纟

Component breakdown

缓 = 纟 thread + 爰 pulling across

  • 纟 thread
  • 爰 pulling across
The Gushi story

Grandma threads her needle and, pulling across the thick wool with a long thread again and again, makes slow progress on the quilt.

How it is used

  • 缓 means slow-and-gradual or to postpone, and pairs with 纟-radical cousins like 慢 in tone but is more formal.
  • 缓解 huǎnjiě (to relieve/ease, e.g. 缓解压力 relieve stress) and 缓和 huǎnhé (to defuse tension, e.g. 关系缓和了 relations have eased) are the two most useful verbs.
  • 延缓 yánhuǎn is 'to defer/delay' something planned, closer to English 'postpone' than 缓 alone.
  • 刻不容缓 kèbùrónghuǎn ('cannot brook a moment's delay') is a strong written idiom for urgency.

Words with 缓

Example sentences

  • 他的笑话缓和了紧张的气氛。 Tāde xiàohuà huǎnhé le jǐnzhāng de qìfēn.His jokes eased the tense atmosphere.