围堵 (wéi dǔ) — to encircle and block (military, police); to contain, to surround and suppress (politics, sports)

Definition

A verb meaning to encircle and block from all sides — used for police/military surrounding a target, or figuratively for politically/economically containing someone.

verb
to encircle and block (military, police)to containto surround and suppress (politics, sports)

Examples

  • 围堵，。
    Jǐng fāng cǎi qǔ wéi dǔ zhàn shù, zuì zhōng zhuā zhù le táo fàn.
    The police used encirclement tactics and finally caught the fugitive.
  • ，围堵。
    Zài zhè chǎng zú qiú bǐ sài zhōng, duì fāng hòu wèi chéng gōng wéi dǔ zhù le qián fēng de jìn gōng lù xiàn.
    In this football match, the opposing defenders successfully blocked the forward's attacking route.
  • 围堵。
    Yì xiē guó jiā shì tú tōng guò jīng jì zhì cái lái wéi dǔ zhōng guó de fā zhǎn.
    Some countries try to contain China's development through economic sanctions.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

围wéisurround
堵dǔblock

围堵 means to 围 'surround' and 堵 'block', as in encircling and hemming in.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 圍; 围 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéienclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
韋
韋wéi圍wéi
Same sound today

The traditional form 圍 pairs 囗 (enclosure) with 韋, which gives the sound; 围 is the simplified form of 圍.

Open 围 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě堵dǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

堵 combines 土, showing earth, with 者, which gives the sound.

Open 堵 →

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