How to Write 圆 (yuán) — Meaning “Round / Circle”

Imagine a circle (囗) that contains a "member" (员) — like a group of people standing in a round formation. The enclosure shows the round shape, and the member inside reminds you that a circle can contain things.

Start with the outer frame 囗: write the left vertical, then top horizontal, then right vertical, and finish the bottom horizontal last. Inside, write 员 with its narrow top and wider bottom, and make sure the inner parts do not touch the outer box. Common mistakes include making the frame too small or writing the inner part too large.

圆 means round/circle, while 囷 (qūn) means a round granary and 囹 (líng) refers to a prison in ancient Chinese. Visually, 圆 has 员 inside, 囷 has 禾 (grain), and 囹 has 令 (order). In modern Chinese, only 圆 is common; 囷 and 囹 are rare and appear mostly in classical texts.

圆 appears in everyday words like 圆形 (round shape) and 圆满 (successful/complete). Culturally, it symbolizes unity and perfection, as in the idiom 花好月圆 (blooming flowers and full moon), which describes perfect happiness, often used in wedding wishes.

Common words containing 圆 include: 圆形 (yuán xíng) — Circle / Round shape; 花好月圆 (huā hǎo yuè yuán) — Perfect happiness (blooming flowers and full moon); 圆满 (yuán mǎn) — Satisfactory / Successful / Complete.