曲線(きょくせん)

曲線(きょくせん) refers to a line that bends smoothly without sharp angles. It is used in mathematics, art, design, and everyday descriptions of roads or shapes. The kanji combine 曲(ま)がる (to bend) and 線(せん) (line).

CONTRAST:

• 曲線(きょくせん): curved line
• 直線(ちょくせん): straight line
• 折(お)れ線(せん): zigzag line, broken line (with angles)

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

• 曲線(きょくせん)を描(えが)く: to draw/trace a curve
• 曲線(きょくせん)美(び): beauty of curves (often in art or architecture)
• 曲線(きょくせん)グラフ: line graph with curves
• 成長(せいちょう)曲線(きょくせん): growth curve

USAGE DOMAINS:

• Mathematics: 放物(ほうぶつ)線(せん) (parabola), 曲線(きょくせん)の方程式(ほうていしき) (equation of a curve)
• Design/art: 曲線(きょくせん)美(び), 曲線(きょくせん)を活(い)かす (make use of curves)
• Roads: 曲線(きょくせん)が多(おお)い道路(どうろ) (road with many curves)