Definitions

yuán (adjective) circle; round; circular; spherical
yuán (adjective) (of the moon) full
yuán (noun) unit of Chinese currency (yuan)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

is the simplified version of the traditional character , which means round, circular, complete, or fulfilled. It is a phono-semantic compound, with the enclosure radical (wéi) providing the meaning of a boundary, circle, or enclosure. Inside, the phonetic component is (yuán), a simplified form of , which originally depicted a round bronze vessel (and later came to mean member or personnel). The simplification replaced the complex inner component with , creating . The character's semantic range covers physical roundness, the monetary unit yuan, and abstract concepts like completeness, harmony, and bringing matters to a satisfactory conclusion.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

月亮是的。

Yuèliang shì yuán de.

The moon is round.

他画了一个

Tā huàle yīgè yuán.

He drew a circle.

这个盘子是形的。

Zhège pánzi shì yuánxíng de.

This plate is round.

我们坐在桌旁吃饭。

Wǒmen zuò zài yuánzhuō páng chīfàn.

We sit at the round table to eat.

地球的形状近似于

Dìqiú de xíngzhuàng jìnsì yú yuán.

The shape of the Earth is approximately round.

她梦想有一个满的婚姻。

Tā mèngxiǎng yǒu yīgè yuánmǎn de hūnyīn.

She dreams of having a perfect marriage.

这个方案需要融的解决方式。

Zhège fāng'àn xūyào yuánróng de jiějué fāngshì.

This plan requires a harmonious solution.

在几何学中,是基本的封闭曲线。

Zài jǐhéxué zhōng, yuán shì jīběn de fēngbì qūxiàn.

In geometry, the circle is a basic closed curve.