围攻 (wéi gōng) — to besiege (a place); to attack jointly (in cri…

Definition

Literally 'surround and attack' — used both for military sieges and for verbal attacks where many people criticize or question one target at once.

verb

to besiege (a place)to attack jointly (in criticism, debate, etc.)

围攻，。
Dí jūn wéi gōng chéng bǎo sān tiān sān yè, zuì hòu zhōng yú gōng pò le.
The enemy besieged the castle for three days and nights and finally breached it.
，围攻。
Zài biàn lùn huì shàng, tā bèi duì shǒu men wéi gōng dé shuō bù chū huà lái.
During the debate, he was attacked from all sides by opponents and left speechless.
围攻。
Nà wèi guān yuán zài jì zhě huì shàng zāo dào le jì zhě men de wéi gōng.
That official was besieged by journalists at the press conference.

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.

围wéisurround

围 means surround and 攻 means attack: attack by surrounding.

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.

囗韋圍

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.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

工攵攻

Meaning part形符xíngfú

攵Written in full as攴pūhand holding a tool or weapon

Sound part声符shēngfú

工

Same sound today

攻 puts 工, which gives the pronunciation, beside 攵, a hand holding a tool or weapon.

Appears in