Chinese word

圈子

Pronunciation

Pinyinquān zi

Meaning

  • nouncommunity

Example

这个圈子的成员都很热心。zhè ge quān zi de chéng yuán dōu hěn rè xīn

The members of this community are all very enthusiastic.

Illustration for 圈子 (community)

More examples

这个圈子比较封闭，新成员不容易加入。zhè ge quān zi bǐ jiào fēng bì xīn chéng yuán bù róng yì jiā rù

This community is relatively closed, and it is difficult for new members to join.

Core concept

A shared social space with an invisible boundary, where people know one another, exchange information, and belong to the same world.

Common phrases

  • 学术圈子xué shù quān zi

    academic circle

  • 封闭的圈子fēng bì de quān zi

    closed circle

  • 小圈子xiǎo quān zi

    small circle

Similar words

朋友圈péng yǒu quān: A circle of friends and the social ties formed among them.
社群shè qún: A community joined by shared interests or qualities for exchanging information and ideas.
小组xiáo zǔ: A small group assigned to complete a specific task or purpose.
社区shè qū: A community of people living in the same area and sharing local life and activities.

Definition in Chinese

指在某一领域或生活圈内互相认识、交流并形成联系的群体。zhǐ zài mǒu yì lǐng yù huò shēng huó quān nèi hù xiāng rèn shí jiāo liú bìng xíng chéng lián xì de qún tǐ

Word origin

The compound combines 圈 (quān, "circle or enclosure") + 子 (zi, "noun-forming suffix"), extending the idea of a physical boundary to a group with a shared social world.

Usage tips

  • The word works naturally for both online and offline networks, with the setting supplied by context rather than by the word itself.

Other meanings

  • circlenoun
  • groupnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 圈内quān nèiinsidernoun
  • 圈外quān wàioutsidernoun

Word lists with this word