<p>Don't know about China, but in Taiwan 回轉 mostly explicitly means u-turn performed by a vehicle. As for 掉頭, in addition to the literal "turn your head", you can use it whenever you are heading from A to B, then suddenly requires to return to A.  </p>

<p>Example, when you are going to work by taxi, and your just found out you forget to bring something important, then you can tell the driver, "掉頭!". In this case the driver understands you want to return to your house, instead of literally make a u-turn right at the intersection where you are. But if you tell the driver to "回轉", then he might be confused about why you want him to make a u-turn here?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-15T07:18:09.590Z
2019-12-15T07:18:09.590Z
Agrit
<p>非常有趣的问题。</p>

<p>“回转”是一个比较少使用的词语，而且更偏书面。譬如，“回转你的方向盘”或者“回转寿司”。</p>

<p>“掉头”一般只指车辆。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-16T04:52:23.577Z
2019-12-16T04:52:23.577Z
user23288
<p>回转 isn't used <strong><em>that often</em></strong> for making a U-turn, but you might still hear it sometimes. 回转，往回转,  or 往回旋转 literally means <em>rotate back/backwards</em>. E.g. 把方向盘往回转. </p>

<p>掉头 or 调头 is common for making a U-turn. E.g. 师傅，前面掉头。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-15T08:59:03.083Z
2019-12-15T08:59:03.083Z
dan
<blockquote>
  <p><strong><a href="http://%20cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/17893" rel="nofollow noreferrer">回转</a></strong> = "rotate" e.g. "1000rpm" means "<strong>rotate</strong> 1000 times per minute" = "每分鐘<strong>回转</strong>1000 次"</p>
  
  <p><strong><a href="http://%20cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/17893" rel="nofollow noreferrer">回转</a></strong> (<em>至相反方向</em>) = "rotate to opposite direction" = "turn 180°/ <strong>turn around</strong>"</p>
</blockquote>

<p>~</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/17901/" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><strong>调头</strong></a> = "<strong>turn around</strong>" (to the opposite direction)</p>
  
  <p><a href="http://cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/11636/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">掉头</a> = "turn one's head; <strong>turn around</strong>"</p>
</blockquote>

<p><em>调头 and 掉头 are interchangeable when it means "turn around" But 掉头 can mean "turn one's head" in different context</em> </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-15T09:01:21.690Z
回转 means *rotate back*. Rotate is 旋转.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-15T09:04:33.347Z
回转 [1] to turn around; to U-turn [2] to spin; to rotate; to gyrate. See http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/17893/
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-15T09:24:20.713Z
That looks an archaic usage. In mondern Chinese, we only say 每分鐘转1000 次 or 每分鐘旋转1000 次. I doubt if anyone would say 每分鐘回转1000 次 nowadays.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-15T05:39:08.607Z
2019-12-15T09:07:38.367Z
2019-12-15T09:07:38.367Z
Tang Ho
<p>Is there a difference between 回转 and 掉头? I have heard them both used to describe a U-turn, so are there any subtle differences between the two words?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-15T05:40:21.027Z
Also what about 调头？
Bad At Chinese
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2019-12-15T06:40:27.650Z
Hey, Michael, welcome to the site. Instead of leaving comments on your own question you can click the edit button under your question and make revisions to the actual post that way.
Mou某
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2019-12-15T07:01:32.397Z
@user3306356 I just don't want to be flagged for asking too many questions
Bad At Chinese
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2019-12-15T07:16:41.770Z
There are no flags for too many questions here. The more the merrier.
Mou某
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-15T19:06:12.793Z
One is [double-insulated](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appliance_classes#Class_II); whilst the other is not.
Sod Almighty
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-16T03:27:10.347Z
@user3306356 I think by too many questions the OP was referring to too many in one post, as per the close flag "Please edit the question to limit it to a specific problem with enough detail to identify an adequate answer. **Avoid asking multiple distinct questions at once.** See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question." (emphasis mine)
Davy M
<word-choice><vocabulary><difference>
Is there a difference between 回转 and 掉头?
# Is there a difference between 回转 and 掉头?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-12-15)

Is there a difference between 回转 and 掉头? I have heard them both used to describe a U-turn, so are there any subtle differences between the two words?

**Tags:** word-choice, vocabulary, difference

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Also what about 调头？  
> **username_1**: Hey, Michael, welcome to the site. Instead of leaving comments on your own question you can click the edit button under your question and make revisions to the actual post that way.  
> **username_0**: @user3306356 I just don't want to be flagged for asking too many questions  
> **username_1**: There are no flags for too many questions here. The more the merrier.  
> **username_2**: One is [double-insulated](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appliance_classes#Class_II); whilst the other is not.  
> **username_3**: @user3306356 I think by too many questions the OP was referring to too many in one post, as per the close flag "Please edit the question to limit it to a specific problem with enough detail to identify an adequate answer. **Avoid asking multiple distinct questions at once.** See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question." (emphasis mine)  

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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_7 on 2019-12-15. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

> **[回转](http://%20cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/17893)** = "rotate" e.g. "1000rpm" means "**rotate** 1000 times per minute" = "每分鐘**回转**1000 次"
>
> **[回转](http://%20cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/17893)** (*至相反方向*) = "rotate to opposite direction" = "turn 180°/ **turn around**"

~

> [**调头**](http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/17901/) = "**turn around**" (to the opposite direction)
>
> [掉头](http://cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/11636/) = "turn one's head; **turn around**"

*调头 and 掉头 are interchangeable when it means "turn around" But 掉头 can mean "turn one's head" in different context*

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: 回转 means *rotate back*. Rotate is 旋转.  
> **username_7**: 回转 [1] to turn around; to U-turn [2] to spin; to rotate; to gyrate. See http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/17893/  
> **username_6**: That looks an archaic usage. In mondern username_0, we only say 每分鐘转1000 次 or 每分鐘旋转1000 次. I doubt if anyone would say 每分鐘回转1000 次 nowadays.  

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### Answer by username_4 on 2019-12-15. Score: 3

Don't know about China, but in Taiwan 回轉 mostly explicitly means u-turn performed by a vehicle. As for 掉頭, in addition to the literal "turn your head", you can use it whenever you are heading from A to B, then suddenly requires to return to A.

Example, when you are going to work by taxi, and your just found out you forget to bring something important, then you can tell the driver, "掉頭!". In this case the driver understands you want to return to your house, instead of literally make a u-turn right at the intersection where you are. But if you tell the driver to "回轉", then he might be confused about why you want him to make a u-turn here?


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### Answer by username_5 on 2019-12-16. Score: 2

非常有趣的问题。

“回转”是一个比较少使用的词语，而且更偏书面。譬如，“回转你的方向盘”或者“回转寿司”。

“掉头”一般只指车辆。


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### Answer by username_6 on 2019-12-15. Score: 1

回转 isn't used ***that often*** for making a U-turn, but you might still hear it sometimes. 回转，往回转, or 往回旋转 literally means *rotate back/backwards*. E.g. 把方向盘往回转.

掉头 or 调头 is common for making a U-turn. E.g. 师傅，前面掉头。


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