环 huán — bracelet; ring (not for finger); to surround; to loop; loop
自行车的链条由许多铁环组成。Zì xíng chē de liàn tiáo yóu xǔ duō tiě huán zǔ chéng.A bicycle chain is made up of many iron rings.
Common words: 环境 (huán jìng)、环保 (huán bǎo)、环节 (huán jié)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "ring"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "ring", including 环 (huán), 圈 (quān / juān / juàn). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "ring" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 环 (huán), 圈 (quān / juān / juàn) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span huán, quān, juān, juàn — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 环 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 环 huánbracelet; ring (not for finger); to surround; to loop; loopUseful words: 环境, 环保
- 圈 quān / juān / juànto confine; enclose; pen (pig); a fold; circle; ringUseful words: 圈套, 圈子
Common words for these 2 "ring" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 环 (huán) — so "ring" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
环境huán jìngenvironment; circumstances; surroundings; ambient环保huán bǎoenvironmental protection; environmentally friendly; abbr. for 环境保护环节huán jié(zoology) segment (of the body of a worm, centipede etc); (fig.) a part of an integrated whole: aspect (of a project), element (of a policy), sector (of the economy), stage (of a process) etc圈套quān tàotrap; snare; trick圈子quān zicircle; ring; (social) circle演艺圈yǎn yì quānshow business
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "ring".
圈 quān / juān / juàn — to confine; enclose; pen (pig); a fold; circle; ring
大家围成一个圈，做起了游戏。Dà jiā wéi chéng yí ge quān, zuò qǐ le yóu xì.Everyone formed a circle and started playing games.
Common words: 圈套 (quān tào)、圈子 (quān zi)、演艺圈 (yǎn yì quān)
All 2 characters
Open 环、圈 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.