包围
bāo wéi · HSK 5
to surround
🛡️ 包 (wrap) + 围 (enclose) = wrap-enclose = surround
包 means to wrap or bundle; 围 means to enclose or encircle (note the 囗 box radical, an enclosure). Together: wrap-and-enclose, i.e. surround or hem in on all sides.
包 — 勹 wrap + 巳 fetus
包 is a pictograph showing a fetus (巳) wrapped inside a womb (勹, an enclosing shape). The original sense was 'to wrap' or 'enclose,' and it later extended to mean a bundle, package, or bag. It also serves as a phonetic component in many characters like 抱, 泡, and 饱.
围 — enclosure 囗 + wéi 韦 (phonetic)
围 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The outer 囗 ('enclosure') gives the meaning of surrounding or enclosing, while 韦 supplies the sound. The traditional form 圍 shows the same structure; 围 is its simplified version. Core sense: to surround, encircle, or enclose.