被包围

bèi bāo wéi
to be surrounded

城市被包围了

The city was surrounded.


general

To be encircled or surrounded by people, objects, or forces, often implying a sense of being trapped or under siege.

军队被敌人包围了

The army was surrounded by the enemy.

他被一群粉丝包围了

He was surrounded by a group of fans.

This phrase is commonly used in both literal and metaphorical contexts, such as describing physical encirclement or being overwhelmed by a situation.

Collocations

被敌人包围to be surrounded by the enemy被粉丝包围to be surrounded by fans被困难包围to be surrounded by difficulties

Related Phrases

突围phrase
to break out of a siege
围攻phrase
to besiege

Pro Tip

Context Matters

The phrase can be used in both literal and metaphorical senses, so pay attention to the context to understand the intended meaning.

Gold Rule

Usage in Military Contexts

In military contexts, 被包围 often describes a situation where a group or location is encircled by enemy forces, implying a state of siege.

Word Origin

The phrase is composed of the verb 被 (to be) and the verb 包围 (to surround), which together form a common expression in Chinese to describe being encircled or trapped.

Usage Notes

This phrase is versatile and can be used in both military and civilian contexts. It often carries a sense of urgency or being in a difficult situation.

Word Breakdown

to be
prefix
+
包围
to surround
verb
汉英词典