环 (huán) — (noun) ring, hoop, loop, link (of a chain); (classifier) for rings/scores on an archery target; (verb) to surround, to encircle, to hem in
Definition
A concrete 'ring' (noun, as in 一枚环) and an archery classifier for scores; as a verb it means 'to encircle' — overlap with 围 and 包围, but 环 is more often a noun and collocates with 绕 (环绕).
noun
ringhooplooplink (of a chain)
classifier
for rings/scores on an archery target
verb
to surroundto encircleto hem in
Measure word · 个
Examples
- 环。Tā shǒu shàng dài zhe yì méi jīn sè de huán.She is wearing a gold ring on her hand.
- 环。Tā zài shè jī bǐ sài zhōng dé le shí huán.He scored ten rings in the shooting competition.
- 。Dào lù huán rào zhe měi lì de hú pō.The road encircles the beautiful lake.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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 環; 环 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
睘
睘qióng環huán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 環 pairs 玉 (jade) with a sound part; the simplified 环 is a shorthand and its right side is not the historical sound part.
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