囲
surround, besiege, store, paling, enclosure, encircle, preserve, keep
Readings
On'yomi
- イ
Kun'yomi
- かこ.む
- かこ.う
- かこ.い
Meaning
囲 centers on forming a boundary around something: surrounding, encircling, or enclosing. The ideas of storing, preserving, or keeping something safe follow naturally from enclosing it within a protective space.
Most common words using 囲
20 of 97- 雰囲気ふんいきN3
atmosphere; mood; ambience; ambiance; aura; feel
- 範囲はんいN3
extent; scope; sphere; range; span
- 周囲しゅういN3
surroundings; environs
- 囲むかこむN3
to surround; to encircle; to enclose; to fence; to wall in
- 包囲ほういN1
siege; encirclement; envelopment; surrounding; besiegement
- 広範囲こうはんい
extensive; vast range; wide scope
- 囲碁いごN1
go (board game)
- 囲いかこいN1
enclosure; fence; wall; pen; paling
- 囲うかこうN1
to enclose; to surround; to encircle; to fence; to wall in
- 囲みかこみ
enclosure; box
- 取り囲むとりかこむN1
to surround; to crowd around; to gather around; to encircle; to besiege
- 囲い込みかこいこみ
enclosure; coralling; penning
- 胸囲きょうい
chest measurement
- 囲炉裏いろり
sunken hearth; sunken fireplace
- 攻囲こうい
siege
- ABCD包囲網エービーシーディーほういもう
ABCD encirclement (embargoes against Japan by America, Britain, China, and the Dutch starting in 1940)
- ABCD包囲陣エービーシーディーほういじん
ABCD encirclement (embargoes against Japan by America, Britain, China, and the Dutch starting in 1940)
- タイコンデロガ砦包囲戦タイコンデロガとりでほういせん
Siege of Fort Ticonderoga (1777)
- ポン抜き囲碁ポンぬきいご
ponnuki go; first-capture go; atari go; go variant where whoever first captures one or more stones wins
- 交際範囲こうさいはんい
circle of acquaintance
Study
Etymology
囲 is the modern simplified form of 圍. The older form combines 囗 (enclosure) with 韋, which likely contributed the sound and the idea of surrounding. The modern form replaces 韋 with 井, a simplification that keeps the enclosure meaning but obscures the original phonetic component.
Meaning mnemonic
The outer 囗 is a fence or boundary, and inside is 井, which looks like a grid or well. Picture a well surrounded by a fence to protect and preserve the water: 囲 means to surround and keep safe.
Reading mnemonic
For イ, imagine an eagle (イーグル) circling and surrounding its prey: eagle -> イ, and the eagle's flight encircles the area.