挽 (wǎn) is a Chinese character meaning “to pull”. It is written from 扌 (hand (radical form)) and 免 (to avoid; to exempt), side by side, and takes 10 strokes.
Build the character for “to pull; to hold back”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
扌 + 免
Left–right structure
Structure from: 说文解字: 輓，引之也。从車免聲（挽为輓之异体，改从手；手→扌）
Memory aid
A hand (扌) reaches out so someone does not slip away — you pull them back instead of letting them go free (免). 免 also hints at the sound: miǎn → wǎn.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
10 strokes
In real words
- 挽回wǎn huíto retrieve; to redeem (a situation)挽 = wǎn
- 挽留wǎn liúto urge someone to stay挽 = wǎn
Go deeper
All readings
to pull; to hold back
to pull; to draw; to hold back; to roll up (sleeves); to save (a situation)
拉，牵引；设法使不离开或扭转局面；卷起（袖子等）。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 挽回wǎn huíto retrieve; to redeem (a situation)挽 = wǎn
- 挽留wǎn liúto urge someone to stay挽 = wǎn
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 挽 mean?
挽 (wǎn) means to pull; to draw; to hold back; to roll up (sleeves); to save (a situation).
How do you pronounce 挽?
It is pronounced wǎn.
What parts is 挽 made of?
扌 (hand (radical form)) and 免 (to avoid; to exempt), side by side. The recorded source is: 说文解字: 輓，引之也。从車免聲（挽为輓之异体，改从手；手→扌）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 挽 have?
10. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 挽?
手. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 挽?
Common ones are 挽回 and 挽留. The reading of 挽 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.