輾轉

A retrogressive ablaut reduplication of 轉 (OC *tonʔ, “to turn”) in Old Chinese (Sun, 2003; Hsu, 2009):

轉 (OC *tonʔ, “to turn”) → 輾轉 (OC *tenʔ tonʔ, “to toss and turn”)

輾轉

1. to toss and turn (in bed)

   • 有美一人，碩大且儼。寤寐無為，輾轉伏枕。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     有美一人，硕大且俨。寤寐无为，辗转伏枕。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Yǒu měi yī rén, shuòdà qiě yǎn. Wùmèi wúwéi, zhǎnzhuǎn fúzhěn. [Pinyin]

     There is the beautiful lady;
     Tall and large, and majestic.
     Waking or sleeping, I do nothing;
     On my side, on my back, with my face on the pillow, I lie.

   • 求之不得，寤寐思服。悠哉悠哉，輾轉反側。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     求之不得，寤寐思服。悠哉悠哉，辗转反侧。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Qiú zhī bù dé, wùmèi sīfú. Yōuzāi yōuzāi, zhǎnzhuǎn fǎncè. [Pinyin]

     He sought her and found her not,
     And waking and sleeping he thought about her.
     Long he thought; oh! long and anxiously;
     On his side, on his back, he turned, and back again.

2. to pass through many hands or places

輾轉

1. (Southern Min; or Taiwanese Mandarin in reference to Taiwanese proficiency) fluent; smooth

   不輪轉的台語／不轮转的台语 [Taiwanese Mandarin]  ―  bù lúnzhuàn de táiyǔ [Pinyin]  ―  non-fluent Taiwanese

輾轉

1. (Mainland China Hokkien) Classifier for small rotations.

• “Entry #12463”, in 臺灣閩南語常用詞辭典 (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2023.