团 tuán sphere
sphere; circle; ball; mass; group; regiment
How to remember 团: 囗 enclosed + 才 only just = sphere. In the enclosed yard the kids have only just finished rolling the snow into a sphere taller than Dad.
Component breakdown
团 = 囗 enclosed + 才 only just
- 囗 enclosed
- 才 only just
In the enclosed yard the kids have only just finished rolling the snow into a sphere taller than Dad.
How it is used
- Noun for a cohesive group or round mass, and also a measure word for balled-up things: 一团面 (yī tuán miàn) - a ball of dough.
- 团队 (tuánduì) - team (workplace/project), 团结 (tuánjié) - to unite, 集团 (jítuán) - corporation/conglomerate are all common.
- 团圆 (tuányuán) specifically means a family reunion, especially around Spring Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival.
- Compare with 组 (zǔ): 团 suggests an organized, cohesive body (a tour group 旅行团, a military regiment), while 组 is the neutral word for a smaller subdivided team.