浑圆 (hún yuán) — perfectly round (of shape); tactful and sophisticated (of a person's character)

Definition

Adjective meaning 'perfectly round' — emphasizes an even, full shape (often of the moon or other round objects). Also used to describe a person as tactful and worldly (处世浑圆).

verb
perfectly round (of shape)tactful and sophisticated (of a person's character)

Examples

  • 浑圆，。
    Zhōng qiū jié de yuè liang yòu dà yòu hún yuán, xiàng yí miàn yín pán guà zài tiān kōng.
    The Mid-Autumn Festival moon was big and perfectly round, like a silver plate hanging in the sky.
  • 浑圆，。
    Zhè wèi lǎo shāng rén chǔ shì hún yuán, zài shāng jiè hěn shòu huān yíng.
    This old businessman is tactful and sophisticated in dealing with people, and is very popular in the business world.
  • 浑圆，。
    Tā huà de yuán fēi cháng hún yuán, jī hū hé yòng yuán guī huà de yí yàng.
    The circle he drew was perfectly round, almost as if drawn with a compass.

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.

浑húnfull
圆yuánround

The 浑 fullness gives 圆 roundness a complete, smooth shape.

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 渾; 浑 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐriver
Sound part声符shēngfú
軍
軍jūn渾hún
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 渾 pairs 氵 (river) with 軍 to give the sound; the simplified 浑 is a later shorthand, and its right side is not the historical component.

Open 浑 →

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 圓; 圆 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéi
Sound part声符shēngfú
員
員yuán圓yuán
Same sound today

This is about the traditional form 圓, not the simplified 圆. In 圓, 囗 surrounds 員, and the inner part of 員 is an old circle picture.

Open 圆 →

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