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围绕 (wéi rào) — to revolve around (a central point); to center on, to be focused on (an issue, topic)

Definition

围绕 (wéirào) is the HSK 5 verb for ‘to revolve around / center on’, used for both physical orbits and abstract topics. Pairs with a topic (围绕⋯⋯讨论 ‘discuss around…’) where 环绕 is more physical/geographic.

verb
to revolve around (a central point)to center onto be focused on (an issue, topic)

Examples

  • 围绕。
    Dì qiú wéi rào tài yáng zhuǎn.
    The Earth revolves around the sun.
  • 围绕。
    Zhè cì tǎo lùn zhǔ yào wéi rào sān gè wèn tí.
    This discussion mainly centered on three issues.
  • 围绕。
    Tā men wéi rào rú hé jié yuē yòng shuǐ tí chū le jiàn yì.
    They made suggestions centered on how to save water.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

围wéisurround
绕ràogo around

围 means surround and 绕 means go around, so together they express circling or centering on something.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 繞; 绕 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
堯
堯yáo繞rào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 繞 pairs 糸 (rope) with 堯 as a sound component; the simplified 绕 is a later shorthand.

Open 绕 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5

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