<p>The subject to be &quot;mediated&quot; is naturally &quot;conflict&quot;</p>
<p>To turn and revolve around (the conflicted parties) = to mediate (the conflict)</p>
<p>Example:</p>
<p>为中美贸易冲突<strong>斡旋</strong> - <strong>Mediating</strong> the US-China trade conflict</p>
<p><em>The mediator has to go back and forth between the Chinese and the American government to Mediate the conflict</em></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-27T02:09:37.320Z
2023-02-27T02:15:03.567Z
2023-02-27T02:15:03.567Z
Tang Ho
<p>Nowadays this is a rather official word used in situations between two countries. Actually, it is rarely used. People using it may just show that they were well educated.
Anyway, I think it's OK that you just forget it.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-03-07T06:52:48.363Z
2023-03-07T06:52:48.363Z
user35734
<p>I'm studying CCTV news with my Chinese teacher, where I encountered the word 斡旋 for the first time:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E6%96%A1%E6%97%8B" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CC-CEDICT</a>: 斡旋 (wò​xuán​) to mediate (a conflict etc)</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E6%96%A1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CC-CEDICT</a>: 斡 (wò​) to turn<br />
<a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E6%97%8B" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CC-CEDICT</a>: 旋 (​xuán​) to revolve / a loop / a circle</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I'm familiar with words containing 旋, like 盘旋 = &quot;to spiral&quot; and 旋涡 = &quot;whirlpool&quot;.  My 现代汉语词典 dictionary suggests 斡 is largely only used in the word 斡旋.  I didn't find anything useful on <a href="https://www.dong-chinese.com/wiki/%E6%96%A1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Dong Chinese</a> aside from 斡 being a rather rare character.</p>
<p>I'm fairly sure I'll forget this word in about 10 minutes time.  In any case, it'd help me remember if I understood the underlying logic: currently it doesn't seem to make much sense &quot;to turn&quot; + &quot;to revolve&quot; = &quot;to mediate&quot;.</p>
<p><strong>Question</strong>: How does 斡旋 mean &quot;to mediate&quot;?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-27T13:07:01.827Z
When I was a kid, I often heard the term "中東挖船" or "從中挖船" on news and thought 挖船 must be a transliteration of "rush"  and "rush" must contain the meaning of "mediate". Thanks to this post, now I finally realize it was 中東斡旋 (The Middle East mediation) not "中東挖船" (ship digging  in the Middle East) and  it is "從中斡旋" (mediate in-between) not "從中挖船"(digging ship in-between)
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-27T13:22:38.880Z
Nowadays the term 斡旋 is rarely used on news, the common term for "mediate" now is 調停
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-03-03T09:32:35.890Z
I think the most appropriate translation for 斡旋 is "circle around" or "navigate". It's basically the same as 周旋 which means keeping distance from all participants and trying to keep a balance between you and the whole system.
Lucellia Kassel
<etymology><word>
How does 斡旋 mean "to mediate"?
# How does 斡旋 mean "to mediate"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-02-27)

I'm studying CCTV news with my Chinese teacher, where I encountered the word 斡旋 for the first time:

> [CC-CEDICT](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E6%96%A1%E6%97%8B): 斡旋 (wò​xuán​) to mediate (a conflict etc)
>
> [CC-CEDICT](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E6%96%A1): 斡 (wò​) to turn  
> [CC-CEDICT](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E6%97%8B): 旋 (​xuán​) to revolve / a loop / a circle

I'm familiar with words containing 旋, like 盘旋 = "to spiral" and 旋涡 = "whirlpool". My 现代汉语词典 dictionary suggests 斡 is largely only used in the word 斡旋. I didn't find anything useful on [Dong Chinese](https://www.dong-chinese.com/wiki/%E6%96%A1) aside from 斡 being a rather rare character.

I'm fairly sure I'll forget this word in about 10 minutes time. In any case, it'd help me remember if I understood the underlying logic: currently it doesn't seem to make much sense "to turn" + "to revolve" = "to mediate".

**Question**: How does 斡旋 mean "to mediate"?

**Tags:** etymology, word
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: When I was a kid, I often heard the term "中東挖船" or "從中挖船" on news and thought 挖船 must be a transliteration of "rush"  and "rush" must contain the meaning of "mediate". Thanks to this post, now I finally realize it was 中東斡旋 (The Middle East mediation) not "中東挖船" (ship digging  in the Middle East) and  it is "從中斡旋" (mediate in-between) not "從中挖船"(digging ship in-between)  
> **username_1**: Nowadays the term 斡旋 is rarely used on news, the common term for "mediate" now is 調停  
> **username_2**: I think the most appropriate translation for 斡旋 is "circle around" or "navigate". It's basically the same as 周旋 which means keeping distance from all participants and trying to keep a balance between you and the whole system.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-02-27. Score: 5

The subject to be "mediated" is naturally "conflict"

To turn and revolve around (the conflicted parties) = to mediate (the conflict)

Example:

为中美贸易冲突**斡旋** - **Mediating** the US-China trade conflict

*The mediator has to go back and forth between the Chinese and the American government to Mediate the conflict*


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### Answer by username_3 on 2023-03-07. Score: 0

Nowadays this is a rather official word used in situations between two countries. Actually, it is rarely used. People using it may just show that they were well educated.
Anyway, I think it's OK that you just forget it.


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