圏

音読おんよみ: ケン

訓読くんよみ: —

画数かくすう: 12

部首ぶしゅ: 囗（くにがまえ）

Meaning

Sphere / Circle / Range / Zone

  • 圏内けんない — within the area / inside the sphere
  • 圏外けんがい — outside the area / out of range
  • 成層圏せいそうけん — stratosphere
  • 首都圏しゅとけん — metropolitan area
  • 大気圏たいきけん — atmosphere
  • 暴風圏ぼうふうけん — storm zone
  • 文化圏ぶんかけん — cultural sphere

The radical 囗 (くにがまえ) literally represents an enclosure or surrounding wall. Combined with the sound element 巻ケン, it conveys the sense of a bounded circle or sphere. This is why 圏 is used in words about zones, spheres, and defined ranges.

境

Think of 圏 instinctively as a bounded space — like a border (境). 圏 marks off what’s inside versus outside. For example, 圏内 means “within range,” while 圏外 means “out of range.” Just like a border defines a country, 圏 defines a circle or zone.

内
Creates

圏内けんない — within the area / in range

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