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小圈子 (xiǎo quān zi) — small clique, exclusive group

Definition

A small, exclusive in-group whose members keep outsiders out — carries a negative, cliquish tone (used in contexts of exclusion or closed-off culture).

noun
small cliqueexclusive group

Examples

  • 小圈子，。
    Zhè ge gōng sī lǐ yǒu yí gè xiǎo quān zi, tā men zǒng shì pái jǐ xīn rén.
    There is a small clique in this company; they always exclude newcomers.
  • 小圈子，。
    Tā bù xǐ huan jiā rù rèn hé xiǎo quān zi, jué de nà yàng tài fēng bì.
    He doesn't like to join any small circles; he thinks they are too closed.
  • 小圈子。
    xiǎo quān zi Wén huà huì yǐng xiǎng tuán duì de tuán jié.
    Small clique culture can affect team unity.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

小xiǎosmall
圈子circle
圈quāncircle子zǐ
后缀Suffix

小 small makes 圈子 circle into a small exclusive clique.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 八八bāto divide; to separate
  • 丨丨gǔnsmall object

The shape of 小 comes from three small dots, later elongated into its strokes; the apparent parts 八 and 丨 are a later way of seeing it.

Open 小 →

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
囗囗wéi
Sound part声符shēngfú
卷
卷juàn圈quān
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

圈 is made of the outer 囗, an enclosure shape, and the inner 卷, which gives the sound.

Open 圈 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →
Appears in
Groups & Organizations

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