Meaning of 包围
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to surround; to encircle; to hem in
How to use 包围
包围 is used for people, armies, or things that close in around something, and also figuratively for being surrounded by feelings or sounds. It often appears with 被 (bèi) for the passive. Example: 房子被警察包围了。(Fángzi bèi jǐngchá bāowéi le.) The house was surrounded by the police.
包 (bāo) means to wrap, like a 包子 (bāozi) wrapped around its filling. 围 (wéi) has the enclosure 囗 around it, so 包围 is wrapping something in on all sides.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 包围 (bāowéi, to surround, a verb) with 周围 (zhōuwéi, the surroundings, a noun). Say 周围有很多树 for "there are many trees around," not 包围有很多树.
包围 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
包 bāo · to cover · 5 strokes
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围 wéi · to encircle · 7 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 包围.
| 面包 | miànbāo | bread |
| 钱包 | qiánbāo | purse; wallet |
| 包子 | bāozi | baozi; bao (steamed stuffed bun) |
| 书包 | shūbāo | schoolbag; satchel |
| 周围 | zhōuwéi | environs; surroundings; periphery |
| 范围 | fànwéi | range; scope |
| 皮包 | píbāo | handbag; briefcase |
| 包括 | bāokuò | to comprise; to include |
| 包裹 | bāoguǒ | to wrap up; to bind up |
| 包含 | bāohán | to contain; to embody |
| 围巾 | wéijīn | scarf; shawl |
| 红包 | hóngbāo | money wrapped in red as a gift; bonus payment |
Questions about 包围
What does 包围 mean?
包围 (bāowéi) means "to surround; to encircle; to hem in" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 包围?
包围 is made of 2 characters: 包 (5 strokes), 围 (7 strokes). That is 12 strokes in total.
Is 包围 an HSK word?
Yes. 包围 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 包围 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 包围 is written 包圍.
What is the difference between 包围 and 围 on its own?
围 (wéi) alone can mean to surround or to gather around, as in 围着桌子 (wéizhe zhuōzi), sitting around the table. 包围 sounds stronger and more complete, often suggesting being trapped or closed in on all sides.
Can 包围 be used in a positive or figurative way?
Yes. You can say 被爱包围 (bèi ài bāowéi), surrounded by love, or 被鲜花包围 (bèi xiānhuā bāowéi), surrounded by flowers. The figurative use is common in writing.