Translation guide
To form a circle around something, surround it, or enclose it within a ring or boundary. This guide covers physical encircling, metaphorical surrounding, and related expressions.
To position people or things in a circle around someone or something, often for protection, containment, or observation.
The most common and general verb for 'to surround' or 'to encircle'. Used for people, objects, or abstract things forming a circle around something.
The children encircled the teacher.
The castle is encircled by high walls.
Emphasizes a more complete or tighter encirclement, often with a nuance of surrounding from all sides, sometimes with hostile intent.
The police encircled the building.
We were encircled by the enemy.
Formal or military term for 'to besiege' or 'to encircle' in a strategic sense. Often used in news or historical contexts.
The army encircled the city.
To put a ring, band, or circular object around something, such as a finger, wrist, or object.
To wrap or coil something around. Used for encircling with a flexible object like a rope, bandage, or ribbon.
She encircled her neck with a scarf.
Please encircle your arm with the bandage.
To put on or fit a ring-like object onto something, such as a ring on a finger or a lid on a container.
To wind or coil something firmly around an object, emphasizing the action of encircling by wrapping.
To be surrounded by an atmosphere, feeling, or situation, not physically encircled.
To envelop or wrap in a non-physical sense, such as being surrounded by silence, warmth, or mystery.
Silence encircled the area.
To drift or hang in the air, often used for scents, moods, or atmospheres that seem to encircle a place.
囲む is the most general and neutral. 取り囲む implies a tighter or more complete encirclement, often with a sense of pressure or hostility. 包囲する is formal and used in military or strategic contexts.
When talking about putting a ring on a finger, do not use 囲む. Use はめる or 巻く depending on the object. Saying 指を囲む would be unnatural.
I encircled my finger with a ring.
The vine encircles the tree.
The house is encircled by mystery.
部屋には花の香りが漂っていた。
The scent of flowers encircled the room.