围住 (wéi zhù) — to surround completely, to encircle

Definition

围住 (wéi zhù) is a separable verb meaning to surround or encircle completely — the complement 住 emphasizes the encirclement is closed off and no one can pass through. Common in 把-constructions, as in the examples with 把大楼/广场.

verb
to surround completelyto encircle

Examples

  • 围住。
    Jǐng chá bǎ dà lóu wéi zhù le.
    The police surrounded the building.
  • 围住，。
    Rén qún wéi zhù le guǎng chǎng, wú fǎ jìn rù.
    The crowd surrounded the square, making it impossible to enter.
  • 围住。
    Shì bīng men xùn sù wéi zhù le dí rén de yíng dì.
    The soldiers quickly surrounded the enemy camp.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

围wéisurround
住zhùhold; fix

围 means surround, and 住 adds the sense of holding it in place.

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 圍; 围 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéienclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
韋
韋wéi圍wéi
Same sound today

The traditional form 圍 pairs 囗 (enclosure) with 韋, which gives the sound; 围 is the simplified form of 圍.

Open 围 →

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
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
主
主zhǔ住zhù
Same sound today

住 pairs 亻, the person radical (written fully as 人), with 主, which supplies the sound.

Open 住 →

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