钢圈 (gāng quān) — wheel rim; underwire (in a bra)

Definition

A compound noun referring to a rigid metal ring — most commonly the steel rim of a car wheel, or the underwire inside a bra. The first sense is its everyday use.

noun
wheel rimunderwire (in a bra)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 钢圈，。
    Zhè liàng chē de gāng quān yǐ jīng shēng xiù le, xū yào huàn xīn de.
    The wheel rim of this car is already rusted and needs to be replaced.
  • 钢圈，。
    Zhè jiàn nèi yī de gāng quān shè jì dé bù hǎo, chuān zhuó hěn bù shū fu.
    The underwire design of this bra is not good; it's very uncomfortable to wear.
  • 钢圈。
    Gōng chǎng zhuān mén shēng chǎn gè zhǒng chǐ cùn de qì chē gāng quān.
    The factory specializes in producing car wheel rims of all sizes.

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.

钢gāngsteel
圈quānring

钢 gives the steel material, while 圈 gives the ring or hoop 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 鋼; 钢 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
岡
岡gāng鋼gàng
Same sound today

The traditional form 鋼 shows 金, meaning metal, next to 岡, which carries the sound gāng; the simplified 钢 is a later shorthand.

Open 钢 →

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 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.