How to Write 围 (wéi) — Meaning “To surround / Enclose”

Imagine a scarf (围巾) wrapped around your neck: the outer box 囗 is the loop of the scarf, and the inner part 韦 looks like the pattern or fabric. This connects the shape to the meaning "to surround."

Write the outer frame first: the left vertical, then top horizontal, then the inner part 韦, and finally the bottom horizontal stroke to close the box. A common mistake is making the inner part too big so it touches the box, but it should have clear space around it.

围 has 韦 inside and means "to surround" (a verb), while 囚 has 人 (person) inside and means "prisoner" or "to imprison." 四 looks similar but is a completely different character meaning "four" and has a different inside shape (two strokes).

围 appears in everyday words like 围巾 (scarf, something that surrounds the neck) and 周围 (surroundings, the area around a place). It can also be used in more abstract terms like 范围 (scope or range), showing how something is enclosed within boundaries.

Common words containing 围 include: 围巾 (wéi jīn) — Scarf; 周围 (zhōu wéi) — surroundings / around; 范围 (fàn wéi) — Scope / Range.