Definitions
(noun)
week; cycle; period
(verb)
to circle; to make a circuit
(noun)
circumference; perimeter
(adjective)
thorough; complete
Etymology
Depicts a carved jade object, now written as 彫/琱. The meaning later shifted to "circumference" and "cycle". Later the 口 component was added when 周 was used to refer to a geographical region to indicate that the character was only "mouthed", i.e. used for its sound. In simplified Chinese 周 is also used to mean "week", while in traditional Chinese this meaning is written with a separate character 週.
About
The character "周" derives from early conceptual representations of enclosed and divided agricultural fields, with its structural composition evolving to visually suggest boundaries and integrated spaces, leading to its core meanings of surrounding and completeness. This foundational sense of enclosure and order facilitated a semantic expansion from denoting physical peripheries to abstract notions of thoroughness and cyclicality, such as in terms for circumference and week, while the character also accrued historical and cultural significance as a dynastic designation and a common surname.
Example Sentences Hide
这一周天气很好。
周末我们全家去公园。
他考虑问题非常周全。
她细心周到地照顾客人。
这个计划需要周密安排。
周恩来总理深受人民爱戴。
古代中国有周朝这个朝代。
卫星围绕地球周期性运转。