旋 (xuán) is a Chinese character meaning “to revolve”. It is written from 方 (square; direction (Kangxi radical 70)) and 𭻾 (right half of 旋 / 璇 / 漩: a two-stroke hat (𠂉) over a 疋-shaped foot), side by side, and takes 11 strokes.
Build the character for “to revolve; to turn”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
方 + 𭻾
Left–right structure
- 方 square; direction (Kangxi radical 70) · fāng meaning
- 𭻾 right half of 旋 / 璇 / 漩: a two-stroke hat (𠂉) over a 疋-shaped foot meaning
Structure from: hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（11 画：方4 + 𭻾7，右半为上𠂉下疋形）
Memory aid
On the left, a square (方). On the right (𭻾), a little flag over a marching foot. The foot keeps stepping round and round the square — turning, revolving. Both parts are really in this character.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
11 strokes
In real words
- 凯旋kǎi xuánto return in triumph旋 = xuán
- 旋钮xuán niǔknob; dial (that you turn)旋 = xuán
Go deeper
All readings
to revolve; to turn
to revolve; to spin; to turn around; to return
转动、绕着转圈；也指回来、归来。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 凯旋kǎi xuánto return in triumph旋 = xuán
- 旋钮xuán niǔknob; dial (that you turn)旋 = xuán
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 旋 mean?
旋 (xuán) means to revolve; to spin; to turn around; to return.
How do you pronounce 旋?
It is pronounced xuán.
What parts is 旋 made of?
方 (square; direction (Kangxi radical 70)) and 𭻾 (right half of 旋 / 璇 / 漩: a two-stroke hat (𠂉) over a 疋-shaped foot), side by side. The recorded source is: hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验（11 画：方4 + 𭻾7，右半为上𠂉下疋形）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 旋 have?
11. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 旋?
方. 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 旋?
Common ones are 凯旋 and 旋钮. The reading of 旋 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.