Definitions

lún used in 囫圇|囫囵[hú lún]

Etymology phono-semantic

enclosure

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

(lún), meaning wholeness or completeness, is a phono-semantic compound simplified from . The outer radical (wéi) depicts an enclosure, suggesting a boundary or something swallowed whole, while the simplified phonetic (lún), replacing traditional , indicates the pronunciation. It occurs almost exclusively in the compound 囫囵 (húlún) 'whole, intact', as in the idiom 囫囵吞枣 (swallow a date whole). The structure thus visually reinforces the idea of an undivided whole contained within.