寰球 (huán qiú) — the whole world, the earth

Definition

Literary/formal synonym for 'the whole world / the globe.' 环球 and 寰球 are interchangeable in writing, but 地球 and 世界 are the everyday words an HSK learner normally uses.

noun
the whole worldthe earth
Easily confused

Examples

  • 寰球。
    huán qiú Shì yí gè dà jiā tíng.
    The whole world is one big family.
  • 寰球。
    Zhè ge wèn tí guān xì dào huán qiú de wèi lái.
    This issue concerns the future of the whole world.
  • 寰球。
    Tā de mèng xiǎng shì huán yóu huán qiú.
    His dream is to travel around the world.

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.

寰huánworld
球qiúglobe

'寰' and '球' both point to the earth/world, so together they mean the whole world.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
睘
睘qióng寰huán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

寰 pairs 宀, a roof, with 睘, which gives the sound. The roof points to an enclosed domain around the capital.

Open 寰 →

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
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
求
求qiú球qiú
Same sound today

球 is built from 玉, meaning jade, and 求, which gives the sound.

Open 球 →

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