‘蛇形’ (shé xíng) literally combines ‘snake’ (蛇) and ‘shape/form’ (形), meaning ‘serpentine’ or ‘snake-shaped’. It describes anything that resembles a snake in appearance or movement—typically long, winding, and sinuous. As an adjective, it modifies nouns (e.g., 蛇形的山路 — ‘serpentine mountain road’); as a noun, it refers to the shape itself (e.g., 这条路呈蛇形 — ‘This road takes a serpentine form’).

The term is commonly used in descriptive writing about geography, architecture, and design—such as roads, rivers, railings, or dance movements. It carries a neutral, slightly literary tone and is rarely used in casual speech unless describing physical layouts or visual patterns. Unlike more general terms like ‘弯曲的’ (bending), 蛇形 specifically evokes the rhythmic, undulating quality of a snake’s motion or contour.