圈 (juān) — to confine, to lock up
Definition
圈 (juān) is the verb 'to confine, lock up' — usually people or animals in a space, often used in 把/被 constructions. 关 is more general ('to close/shut'); 圈 emphasizes enclosing someone in a space, like 关在家里.
verb
to confineto lock up
Examples
- 圈。Nǐ bú yào bǎ zì jǐ juān zài fáng jiān lǐ.Don't lock yourself up in the room.
- 圈。Yì qíng qī jiān hěn duō rén bèi juān zài jiā lǐ.During the pandemic, many people were confined at home.
- 圈。Tā bǎ xiǎo jī dōu juān jìn lóng zi lǐ le.He confined all the chicks into the cage.
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.
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
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.