团团 (tuán tuán) — (adverb) round and round; all around

Definition

A reduplicated adverb meaning 'in a circle / all around' — used for things moving round-and-round (snowflakes, smoke) or people gathering closely together. Often followed by 地 or directly before a verb like 转, 围, 坐.

adverb
round and roundall around

Examples

  • 。
    Tā jí dé tuán tuán zhuàn.
    He was so anxious he ran around in circles.
  • 团团。
    Dà jiā tuán tuán zuò zài yì qǐ liáo tiān.
    Everyone sat around in a circle chatting.
  • 团团。
    Xuě huā tuán tuán dì piāo luò xià lái.
    Snowflakes fell down in swirling clusters.

Origin

Reduplicated word
构词法gòucífǎ
重叠chóngdiéReduplication

A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.

团tuánround
团tuánround

The repeated 团 gives a continuous round motion.

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 團; 团 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéi
Sound part声符shēngfú
專
專zhuān團tuán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The form 團 combines 囗 as a meaning part with 專 as a sound part; the story is about 團, not about 团.

Open 团 →

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 團; 团 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéi
Sound part声符shēngfú
專
專zhuān團tuán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The form 團 combines 囗 as a meaning part with 專 as a sound part; the story is about 團, not about 团.

Open 团 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.