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循环 (xún huán) — to cycle; to circulate; to loop

Definition

循环 (xúnhuán) is the verb for a closed, repeating cycle — blood circulation, water cycles, program loops. More dynamic than 周期 (a cycle as a noun/period), and broader than 环绕 ('orbit/revolve around' something).

verb
to cycleto circulateto loop

Examples

  • 循环。
    Shuǐ zài dì qiú shàng bú duàn xún huán.
    Water continuously circulates on Earth.
  • 循环。
    Qián zài jīng jì zhōng bú duàn xún huán.
    Money continuously circulates in the economy.
  • 循环。
    Zhè ge chéng xù huì yì zhí xún huán.
    This program will keep looping.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

循xúnfollow
环huánloop

循 means to follow and 环 means a loop, so the idea is following a loop, hence cycling.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
彳彳chìmovement
Sound part声符shēngfú
盾
盾dùn循xún
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

循 has 彳 on the left, a part used for movement, and 盾 on the right, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 循 →

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 環; 环 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
睘
睘qióng環huán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 環 pairs 玉 (jade) with a sound part; the simplified 环 is a shorthand and its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 环 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Change & Process

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