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圈 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
圈juānto confineHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juāncircleHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juānto lock upHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juānringHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juānto pen inHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juānloopHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juānpen (pig)HSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juānclassifier for loops, orbits, laps of race etcHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juāna foldHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juānto surroundHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juānto circleHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juāncircle, ring, loop; to encircleHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juànto confineHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juàncircleHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juànto lock upHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juànringHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juànto pen inHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juànloopHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juànpen (pig)HSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juànclassifier for loops, orbits, laps of race etcHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juàna foldHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juànto surroundHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juànto circleHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈juàncircle, ring, loop; to encircleHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈quānto confineHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈quāncircleHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈quānto lock upHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈quānringHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈quānto pen inHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈quānloopHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈quānpen (pig)HSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈quānclassifier for loops, orbits, laps of race etcHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈quāna foldHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈quānto surroundHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈quānto circleHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
圈quāncircle, ring, loop; to encircleHSK 6, q, 11 strokes, radical 囗, rank #1319, Hard
juān(juan1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1to confine
  2. 2circle
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

圈juān(juan1)

The character 圈 (juān) primarily means 'circle' or 'ring' and is used in various contexts, including as a classifier for loops, laps in races, or even pens for animals like pigs. It conveys the idea of enclosing or surrounding something, often implying confinement or limitation.

Strokes11Radical囗Frequency#1319DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of circles often symbolizes unity and completeness, evident in practices like family reunions where people gather in a circle to foster harmony. The use of 圈 in social contexts highlights the importance of community and togetherness.

Memory Tip

Imagine a pig snugly fitting inside a circular pen (圈) in a farmyard, which helps you remember that 圈 looks like a circular enclosure. The sound 'juān' can remind you of 'jewelry' that often comes in circular shapes, linking the form to its meaning.

Meanings of 圈

juān(juan1)
primary
1to confine
2circle
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 圈

圈Simplified
11Strokes
囗Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#1319Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2BCT✓CEFRB1

Podcast: 圈

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Podcast: 圈

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 圈

Quick Contrast

圈 (juān) vs 环 (huán) — choose 圈 when referring specifically to a circle or ring that implies enclosure, while 环 is used for a ring or loop that may not imply confinement.

Usage Notes

When using 圈 in sentences, be careful of the context; it can imply physical confinement or a conceptual boundary. It is commonly used in both formal and informal settings, but learners should avoid mixing it up with related characters like 圈 (circle) and 关 (close, lock) to prevent confusion.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 5 word, 圈 connects to other words related to shapes and boundaries, such as 圆 (yuán, round). Focus on practicing its usage in phrases and understanding its versatile applications in both physical and abstract contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 圈 with the character 圆 (yuán), which means 'round' but does not imply confinement. For example, saying '我喜欢圆' (wǒ xǐhuān yuán) to mean 'I like circles' is incorrect; you should use '圈' instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 圈

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Etymology of 圈

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 囗 represents the meaning and 卷 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

enclosure

Semantic (meaning)囗
+
Phonetic (sound)卷
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 圈

Phonosemantic compound. 囗 represents the meaning and 卷 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half囗 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half卷 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayenclosure
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 圈? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 圈?

Decomposition of 圈

IDS Structure⿴囗卷
圈Full Character
=
囗wei2
enclosing
卷juan3
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 圈?

How to say to confine in Chinese

“to confine” in Chinese is圈juān

The character 圈 (juān) primarily means 'circle' or 'ring' and is used in various contexts, including as a classifier for loops, laps in races, or even pens for animals like pigs. It conveys the idea of enclosing or surrounding something, often implying confinement or limitation.

When to use 圈

When using 圈 in sentences, be careful of the context; it can imply physical confinement or a conceptual boundary. It is commonly used in both formal and informal settings, but learners should avoid mixing it up with related characters like 圈 (circle) and 关 (close, lock) to prevent confusion.

圈 or something close to it

圈 (juān) vs 环 (huán) — choose 圈 when referring specifically to a circle or ring that implies enclosure, while 环 is used for a ring or loop that may not imply confinement.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 圈 with the character 圆 (yuán), which means 'round' but does not imply confinement. For example, saying '我喜欢圆' (wǒ xǐhuān yuán) to mean 'I like circles' is incorrect; you should use '圈' instead.

Write 圈

圈

Practice writing 圈 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 圈

圈 functions as a measure word. Place it between a number/demonstrative and the noun it counts (一本书, 这个人). Different categories of nouns require different measure words. It carries 12 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons2
Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

那段时间她压力非常大。甚至于每天晚上都失眠，整个人瘦了一大____。

She was under enormous pressure during that period. It got to the point where she had insomnia every night and lost a lot of weight.

Example Sentences for 圈 (15)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他用绳子把那个圈围了起来。

tā yòng shéng zǐ bǎ nà gè quān wéi le qǐ lái。

He used a rope to mark off the circle.
2
到第三圈时，金基德的车速达到了每小时289英里。

dào dì sān quān shí， ， jīn jī dé de chē sù dá dào le měi xiǎo289 shí 289。

By the third lap Kinkead had touched 289 m.p.h.
3
门口的队伍绕了大楼一圈。

mén kǒu de duì wǔ rào le dà lóu yī quān。

The queues at the door wound around the building.
4
我的衬裙已经蹿到臀部，厚厚地卷成一圈。

wǒ de chèn qún yǐ jīng cuān dào tún bù， ， hòu hòu dì juàn chéng yī。

My underskirt had ridden up into a thick band around my hips.
5
不大的教堂墓地周边围着一圈生锈的熟铁栅栏。

bù dà de jiào táng mù dì zhōu biān wéi zháo yī quān shēng xiù de shú tiě zhà lán。

The small churchyard was surrounded by a rusted wrought-iron fence.
6
还剩4圈的时候，他紧紧咬住领先者。

huán shèng4 4 quān de shí， hòu ， tā jǐn jǐn yǎo zhù lǐng。

With four laps to go, he kept pace with the leaders.
7
他在卡巴莱歌舞表演圈中刚刚开始有点名气。

tā zài kǎ bā lái gē wǔ biǎo yǎn quān zhōng gāng gāng kāi shǐ yǒu diǎn míng qì。

He was just starting to become known on the cabaret circuit.
8
取出设备后，我带着李在花草蔓生的花园里转了一圈。

qǔ chū shè bèi hòu， ， wǒ dài zháo lǐ zài huā cǎo màn shēng de huā yuán lǐ zhuǎn le yī。

As the equipment was unpacked, I led Lee around the overgrown garden.
9
比蒂在被伊藤赶超之前，曾有几圈一直处于领先。

bǐ dì zài bèi yī téng gǎn chāo zhī qián， ， zēng yǒu jī quān yī zhí chǔ yú lǐng。

Beattie led for several laps before he was overhauled by Itoh.
10
到广场饭店喝鸡尾酒是他们这个高雅时髦的圈子中的人每晚必做的事情。

dào guǎng cháng fàn diàn hē jī wěi jiǔ shì tā mén zhè gè gāo yǎ shí máo de quān zǐ zhōng de rén měi wǎn bì zuò de shì qíng。

Cocktails at the Plaza was a nightly ritual of their sophisticated world.
11
那只狗被圈在后院里，无法出来。

Nà zhī gǒu bèi juān zài hòuyuàn lǐ, wúfǎ chūlái.

The dog is confined in the backyard and cannot come out.
12
他用木栅栏把羊圈起来，以防它们跑掉。

Tā yòng mù zhàlán bǎ yáng juān qǐlái, yǐ fáng tāmen pǎo diào.

He confined the sheep with a wooden fence to prevent them from running away.
13
这些动物被圈在一个狭小的笼子里，无法自由活动。

Zhèxiē dòngwù bèi juān zài yīgè xiáxiǎo de lóngzi lǐ, wúfǎ zìyóu huódòng.

These animals are confined in a small cage and cannot move freely.
14
为了保护生态，政府决定在森林周围圈上一道围栏。

Wèile bǎohù shēngtài, zhèngfǔ juédìng zài sēnlín zhōuwéi juān shàng yīdào wéilán.

To protect the ecosystem, the government decided to confine the forest with a fence.
15
在实验室里，科学家们把细菌圈在一个特殊的环境中进行研究。

Zài shíyànshì lǐ, kēxuéjiāmen bǎ xìjùn juān zài yīgè tèshū de huánjìng zhōng jìnxíng yánjiū.

In the laboratory, scientists confine the bacteria in a special environment for research.

Word Family of 圈

Words Containing This Character20
圈juāncircle
圈子quānzicircle
圈套quāntàotrap
眼圈rim of the eye
商圈commercial district
光圈aperture
圈圈cliques
项圈necklace項圈
圆圈circle圓圈
转圈to rotate轉圈
线圈coil線圈
兜圈子to encircle
怪圈vicious circle
花圈wreath
猪圈pigsty (lit. and fig.)豬圈
圈地enclosure
演艺圈yǎnyìquānshow business演藝圈
绕圈子to make a detour繞圈子
北极圈Arctic Circle北極圈
救生圈life buoy
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 圈 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 圈

圈 is used in various expressions, such as '圈子' (quānzi), meaning 'circle' or 'group', which refers to a social or professional circle. Another expression is '圈养' (juān yǎng), which means 'to raise animals in a confined space'. These examples illustrate the diverse applications of the character in daily conversation.

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