囲 (wéi) - To surround & to encircle

囲Tone 2

wéi ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 囗

婷婉

囲 · wéi

To surround;

to encircle;

to enclose;

a surrounding enclosure.

To surroundto encircleto enclose

Usage highlights

To surroundEnclosureSurroundingBesiege a cityCircular seatingFence enclosure

Synonyms

  • 围— to surround; to encircle
  • 包— to wrap; to encase
  • 圈— circle; ring

Antonyms

  • 开— to open; to unfold
  • 放— to release; to let go

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The army surrounded the city (囲城).
  • The garden is enclosed by a fence (囲い).
  • We formed a circle around the fire (火を囲む).

Collocations

  • To surround(囲む)
  • Enclosure(囲い)
  • Surrounding(囲み)
  • Besiege a city(囲城)
  • Circular seating(囲炉裏)
  • Fence enclosure(柵で囲う)

Idioms

  • Besieged on all sides(四面楚歌)
  • Encircled and suppressed(包囲殲滅)
  • Break through an encirclement(包囲を突破する)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Used in both Chinese and Japanese contexts with similar meanings of enclosure and surrounding.
  • Commonly appears in military terminology describing siege tactics and encirclement strategies.
  • Also used in everyday contexts for physical enclosures like fences, circles, and protective barriers.

FAQ