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I encountered this phrase and after a bit of Googling, it seems to describe
the action of crowding around a particular thing or object (people crowding
around someone, trees crowding around a building) but doesn't 取り囲む itself also
describe that action? Does omitting the 周囲 change the effect of its use in
sentences or is it more similar to an idiomatic set phrase?

The sentence i saw it in was:

> 周囲を取り囲むように大勢の学生が集まっている。
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2015-02-07T19:22:13.547
21685
2015-02-12T14:21:01.027
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question
words set-phrases
「周囲を取り囲む(ように)」, set phrase?
Japanese motion verbs utilize the particle を for both object and place the
action takes place. So you can equally say:

> 彼を取り囲む。  
>  周囲を取り囲む。  
>  彼の周囲を取り囲む。

but not:

> × 彼を周囲を取り囲む。 (same case particle cannot be repeated in one clause)

In my opinion, the `周囲を取り囲む` version has slightly more "completely surrounded"
nuance, but it barely matters in the usual case. Also, the `周囲` can be used as
good as a "dummy noun" to bypass obvious pronouns like _him_ , _her_ , _it_
etc. in English. We hate pronouns.

If you'd look for similar expressions in Japanese, they abound:

> 上を見上げる  
>  後ろを振り返る  
>  下に落ちる  
>  前に進む  
>  ︙

Of course, you don't want to translate them literally.

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/UP39z.jpg)  
(from <http://www.inquisitr.com/6826/for-restrooms-go-back-toward-your-
behind/>)
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2015-02-12T14:21:01.027
21762
2015-02-12T14:21:01.027
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21685
answer