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)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "to surround"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "to surround", including 围 (wéi), 环 (huán). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "to surround" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 围 (wéi), 环 (huán) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span wéi, huán — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 围 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 围 wéito circle; to surroundUseful words: 范围, 周围
- 环 huánbracelet; ring (not for finger); to surround; to loop; loopUseful words: 环境, 环保
Common words for these 2 "to surround" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 围 (wéi) — so "to surround" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
范围fàn wéirange; scope; limit; extent周围zhōu wéienvirons; surroundings; periphery围巾wéi jīnscarf; shawl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
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 surround".
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)
All 2 characters
Open 围、环 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.