演艺圈
yǎn yì quān · HSK 7
show business
🎭 演 perform + 艺 art + 圈 circle = the performing-arts circle, i.e. show business
演 (perform) + 艺 (art/skill) + 圈 (circle, ring, social circle). Literally the circle of performing arts, the in-crowd of entertainers. 圈 quān also names any social or professional clique.
演 — water 氵 + 寅 (yín, phonetic)
演 is a semantic-phonetic compound: the water radical 氵 gives the meaning, originally referring to water flowing far and spreading out, while 寅 supplies the sound. From 'water extending' it broadened to 'develop, elaborate, perform,' as in unfolding a story or acting out a play.
圈 — enclosure 囗 + juàn 卷 (phonetic)
A semantic-phonetic compound: the outer 囗 ('enclosure') gives the meaning of a ring or pen, while the inner 卷 supplies the sound. Originally it referred to a fenced enclosure for animals, then broadened to mean any circle, ring, or social circle.