環 (huán) - Ring, circle, loop & to encircle, to surround

環Tone 2

huán ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

環 · huán

Ring, circle, loop;

to encircle, to surround;

a link in a chain;

a cycle or period.

Ring, circle, loopto encircle, to surrounda link in a chain

Usage highlights

EnvironmentRing roadEarringsCycleLinkSurround

Synonyms

  • 圈— circle, ring
  • 圓— circle, round
  • 輪— wheel, round

Antonyms

  • 直— straight (opposite of circular)
  • 線— line (opposite of closed loop)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She wore a beautiful jade ring (玉環).
  • The city has a ring road (環路).
  • We need to protect the environment (環境).
  • It's a vicious cycle (惡性循環).
  • The athletes entered the stadium for the opening ceremony (入場環節).

Collocations

  • Environment(環境)
  • Ring road(環路)
  • Earrings(耳環)
  • Cycle(循環)
  • Link(環節)
  • Surround(環繞)

Idioms

  • A vicious cycle(惡性循環)
  • To link up in a continuous chain(環環相扣)
  • Three links of the chain(三環)
  • To travel around the world(環遊世界)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese culture, circular objects like rings symbolize completeness, unity, and eternity.
  • The character appears in environmental terms, reflecting traditional Chinese views of nature as an interconnected system.
  • Used in the concept of 'cycle' in both natural phenomena and human affairs, reflecting cyclical views of time.

FAQ