滚圆 (gǔn yuán) — perfectly round, round as a ball

Definition

An adjective-like result (often after a verb with 得) describing something round as a ball — usually eyes, bellies, or fruit. It emphasizes a full, plump roundness, more vivid than plain 圆.

verb
perfectly roundround as a ball

Examples

  • 滚圆，。
    Tā qì dé yǎn jing dèng dé gǔn yuán de, yí jù huà yě shuō bù chū lái.
    He was so angry that his eyes went wide and round, unable to say a word.
  • 滚圆，。
    Zhè ge xī guā cháng dé gǔn yuán, kěn dìng hěn tián.
    This watermelon is perfectly round — it must be very sweet.
  • 滚圆，。
    Xiǎo māo chī dé dù zi gǔn yuán, pā zài shā fā shàng yí dòng bú dòng.
    The kitten ate so much its belly became round as a ball, lying motionless on the sofa.

Origin

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.

滚gǔnrolling/ball-like
圆yuánround

滚 suggests a rolling ball, and 圆 gives roundness, so the whole means perfectly round.

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 滾; 滚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
袞
袞gǔn滾gǔn
Same sound today

The traditional form 滾 pairs 水 (water) with 袞, which supplies the pronunciation. The simplified 滚 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical 袞.

Open 滚 →

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.

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.

Open 圆 →

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