回 huí — (a measure word for matters or actions) a time; to circle; to go back; to turn around; to answer; to return
他每天六点回家。Tā měi tiān liù diǎn huí jiā.He goes home at six every day.
Common words: 回来 (huí lai)、回家 (huí jiā)、回到 (huí dào)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "to circle"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "to circle", including 回 (huí), 围 (wéi). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "to circle" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 回 (huí), 围 (wéi) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span huí, wéi — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 回 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 回 huí(a measure word for matters or actions) a time; to circle; to go back; to turn around; to answer; to returnUseful words: 回来, 回家
- 围 wéito circle; to surroundUseful words: 范围, 周围
Common words for these 2 "to circle" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 回 (huí) — so "to circle" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
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 "to circle".
围 wéi — to circle; to surround
大家围在一起看表演。Dà jiā wéi zài yì qǐ kàn biǎo yǎn.Everyone gathered around to watch the performance.
Common words: 范围 (fàn wéi)、周围 (zhōu wéi)、围巾 (wéi jīn)
All 2 characters
Open 回、围 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.