圆圈 (yuán quān) — circle; ring | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

circlering

Measure word · 个

Examples

圆圈。
Qǐng nǐ zài zhǐ shàng huà yí gè yuán quān.
Please draw a circle on the paper.
圆圈。
Hái zi men shǒu lā shǒu wéi chéng yí gè yuán quān.
The children joined hands to form a circle.
圆圈。
Yuè qiú rào dì qiú yùn xíng de guǐ dào jìn sì yú yí gè yuán quān.
The moon's orbit around the earth is approximately a circle.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

圆 round and 圈 ring together express a circular 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 圓; 圆 is its simplified writing.

囗員圓

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.

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

囗卷圈

Meaning part形符xíngfú

囗囗wéi

Sound part声符shēngfú

卷

卷juàn圈quān

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

圈 is made of the outer 囗, an enclosure shape, and the inner 卷, which gives the sound.

Appears in

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