環 meaning and stroke order
Bracelet, ring; to surround, to loop
How to write 環, stroke by stroke
17 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 環
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- ring
- hoop
- loop
- (chain) link
- classifier for scores in archery etc
- to surround
How 環 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Jade.
王 gives the meaning and 睘 hints at the sound.
Radical: 王 (king), shared by 104 characters on this site.
How to remember 環
The left side 王 here stands for jade, and the right side 睘 gives the sound huán. Picture a jade ring, the classic round bracelet, and you have 環: a ring that goes all the way around.
環 appears mostly in compound words about rings, circles, and surroundings, such as 環境 (huánjìng, environment) and 循環 (xúnhuán, to circulate). It can also mean a link in a process, as in 環節 (huánjié). Example: 我們要保護環境。(Wǒmen yào bǎohù huánjìng.) We should protect the environment.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 環 with 還 (huán / hái, to return; still), which shares the same right part 睘 but has the walking radical 辶 instead of jade 王. Remember that 王 means a jade object you wear, while 辶 means movement.
Common words with 環
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 環境 | huánjìng | environment; circumstances | HSK 3 |
| 環保 | huánbǎo | environmental protection; environmentally friendly | HSK 3 |
| 環節 | huánjié | (zoology) segment (of the body of a worm, centipede etc); (fig.) a part of an integrated w | HSK 5 |
| 循環 | xúnhuán | to cycle; to circulate | HSK 6 |
| 環球 | huánqiú | around the world; worldwide | HSK 7-9 |
| 環繞 | huánrào | to surround; to circle | HSK 7-9 |
| 光環 | guānghuán | ring of light; halo; (fig.) glory; splendor | HSK 7-9 |
| 連環 | liánhuán | chain of rings; (attributive) linked; successive; serial | |
| 耳環 | ěrhuán | earring | |
| 環顧四周 | huángùsìzhōu | to look around | |
| 花環 | huāhuán | garland; floral hoop | |
| 指環 | zhǐhuán | (finger) ring | |
| 圓環 | yuánhuán | ring (any circular object); (math.) annulus | |
| 血液循環 | xuèyèxúnhuán | blood circulation |
Questions about 環
How many strokes are in 環?
環 is written with 17 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 環 mean?
環 (huán) means bracelet, ring; to surround, to loop. A common word with it is 环境 (huánjìng), meaning "environment; circumstances".
How do you pronounce 環?
環 is pronounced huán, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 環?
The radical of 環 is 王, which carries the idea of "king". Dictionaries list 環 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 環?
環 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 环, used in mainland China and Singapore.
How do you say earring or ring in Chinese using 環?
An earring is 耳環 (ěrhuán), literally an ear ring. A finger ring is usually 戒指 (jièzhi), though 指環 (zhǐhuán) also exists and sounds more literary.
What does 環 mean in archery or shooting scores?
環 is used as a classifier for the rings on a target, so 十環 (shí huán) means hitting the ten ring, the bullseye. You will hear it in sports commentary, for example 他打了九環 (tā dǎle jiǔ huán), he scored a nine.