转圈 (zhuàn quān) — to turn around; to spin; to go in circles

Definition

转圈 means to spin around or go in circles, often physically (a person twirling) or figuratively (being stuck, going in circles). It implies repeated rotation around a center, not a single turn.

verb
to turn aroundto spinto go in circles

Examples

  • 转圈。
    Tā xǐ huan bù tíng dì zhuàn quān.
    He likes to spin around endlessly.
  • 转圈。
    Xiǎo péng yǒu zài cāo chǎng shàng zhuàn quān.
    The children are running in circles on the playground.
  • 。
    Wǒ zhuǎn le shí jǐ quān cái zhǎo dào chū kǒu.
    I went around in circles over a dozen times before finding the exit.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

转zhuǎnturn
圈quāncircle

转 means turn and 圈 means circle, so 转圈 is to turn in circles.

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 轉; 转 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
專
專zhuān轉zhuǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 轉 combines 車, a carriage, with 專 as a sound part; the simplified 转 is a later shorthand.

Open 转 →

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
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.

Open 圈 →

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