囗
marks an enclosed space or boundary · Kangxi radical 31
marks an enclosed space or boundary, surrounding whatever is placed inside it
囗 is simply a drawn boundary line — a closed loop of wall or fence seen from above — and the modern square keeps that shape unchanged, four strokes meeting to seal off an area. Whatever sits inside the square is understood as shut in or ringed around: a person inside 囗 gives 囚 a prisoner, a tree inside gives 困 hemmed in, and a child inside gives 囝. In 囤 and 囷 the square is the wall of a grain bin, while in 园 and 围 it is a garden wall or a ring of guards. Some characters written with a square today, such as 四 and 西, are not really this enclosure at all and only came to look like it.
囗 at a glance
- Meaning
- marks an enclosed space or boundary
- Strokes
- 3
- Characters
- 45
- Role
- Contributes meaning
- Kangxi radical
- 31
Characters with 囗 (35 of 45)
HSK 2 · 1
HSK 5 · 2
Beyond HSK · 23
Frequently asked questions
What does the component 囗 mean?
囗 means "marks an enclosed space or boundary". In the characters that contain it, it contributes meaning.
How many Chinese characters contain 囗?
45 characters in this dictionary contain 囗, including ones at HSK 1, HSK 2, HSK 3, HSK 4, HSK 5.
Is 囗 a radical?
Yes — 囗 is Kangxi radical 31, one of the 214 traditional indexing radicals used to organise Chinese dictionaries.
How many strokes does 囗 have?
囗 is written in 3 strokes.