Traditional: 圓
yuán HSK 5

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

这个桌子是圆的。
Zhège zhuōzi shì yuán de.
This table is round.
月亮看起来是圆的。
Yuèliàng kàn qǐlái shì yuán de.
The moon looks circular.
他画了一个圆。
Tā huàle yīgè yuán.
He drew a circle.
月亮是圆的。
Yuèliang shì yuán de.
The moon is round.
这个盘子很圆。
Zhège pánzi hěn yuán.
This plate is very round.

💡 Memory Tip

Think of the character 圆: it contains 口 (kǒu, mouth) inside 囗 (wéi, enclosure), like a round mouth inside a circle—visualizing something round and enclosed. Associate it with common round objects like coins (硬币) or the moon (月亮).

📝 Usage Notes

This word is neutral in tone and used in both formal and informal contexts, in spoken and written Chinese. It commonly appears in descriptions of physical objects (e.g., faces, tables, coins), geometry, and metaphorical expressions about harmony or perfection.

📖 Grammar Points

圆 can be used as an adjective in attributive position (e.g., 圆桌, round table) or predicatively (e.g., 这个球很圆, this ball is very round). It is often reduplicated as 圆圆的 for emphasis in descriptive phrases.

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, 圆 symbolizes completeness, reunion, and harmony, as seen in festivals like the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节), where mooncakes (月饼) are round to represent family unity. The shape is considered auspicious and balanced.

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to 圈 (quān), which means 'circle' as a noun or 'to circle' as a verb, 圆 is primarily an adjective describing roundness. 环 (huán) means 'ring' or 'loop,' often for objects with a hole, while 圆 focuses on the shape itself.

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