环 (huán) is a Chinese character meaning “a ring”. It is written from 王 (king) and 不 (not), side by side, and takes 8 strokes.
Build the character for “ring; loop”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
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Structure
王 + 不
Left–right structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分（对照笔顺数据核验：王 4 画 + 不 4 画 = 8 画）
Memory aid
On the left, the jade radical (王 shape); on the right, 不 "not". A jade ring that does not stop — no start, no end, it just comes back around. Both parts are really in this character.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
8 strokes
In real words
- 环境huán jìngenvironment; surroundings环 = huán
- 耳环ěr huánearring环 = huán
Go deeper
All readings
ring; loop
a ring; a hoop; a loop; to encircle; a link in a chain
圆圈形的东西；围绕；成串事物中的一节。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 环境huán jìngenvironment; surroundings环 = huán
- 耳环ěr huánearring环 = huán
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 环 mean?
环 (huán) means a ring; a hoop; a loop; to encircle; a link in a chain.
How do you pronounce 环?
It is pronounced huán.
What parts is 环 made of?
王 (king) and 不 (not), side by side. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分（对照笔顺数据核验：王 4 画 + 不 4 画 = 8 画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 环 have?
8. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 环?
玉. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 环?
Common ones are 环境 and 耳环. The reading of 环 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.