環 means “ring, loop, surround”

かん · kan

Also: circle

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)
わ
On'yomi (Chinese reading)
カン

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 17 strokes

The story

Jade (王, the jewel radical) beside an eye (罒) over a mouth (口) and the hem of a robe: picture a jade ring held up to the eye. 環 is a ring or loop: 環境 is the world around you, and Osaka's 環状線 is the loop line circling the city.

Used in 環境 (kankyou, environment), 循環 (junkan, circulation/cycle), and 環状線 (kanjousen, loop line)

More from Shapes & Angles

Learn 環 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.