球
ball, sphere
Readings
On'yomi
- キュウ
Kun'yomi
- たま
Nanori
- く
Meaning
球 centers on a round, three-dimensional object: a ball or sphere. The idea is a solid, curved shape used in play or geometry.
Most common words using 球
24 of 404- 地球ちきゅうN4
Earth; the globe
- 野球やきゅうN5
baseball
- 球きゅうN3
sphere; globe; ball; bulb
- 卓球たっきゅう
table tennis; ping-pong
- 球団きゅうだん
baseball team
- 球場きゅうじょう
baseball stadium; ballpark
- 琉球りゅうきゅう
Ryukyu; chain of southwestern Japanese islands comprising Okinawa Prefecture
- 電球でんきゅうN2
light bulb
- 投球とうきゅう
pitching; throwing a ball; bowling (in cricket); pitched ball
- 四球しきゅう
base on balls; walk; pass
- 直球ちょっきゅう
straight ball (pitch)
- 打球だきゅう
hitting (a ball with a bat, racket, golf club, etc.); batting; batted ball; struck ball
- 気球ききゅう
balloon (hot-air, weather, etc.); blimp
- 変化球へんかきゅう
breaking ball (pitch); curve ball; screwball
- 球技きゅうぎ
ball game (e.g. baseball, tennis, soccer)
- 白血球はっけっきゅう
white blood cell; leukocyte; leucocyte
- 送球そうきゅう
throw
- 死球しきゅう
pitch that hits the batter
- 球界きゅうかい
the baseball world
- 球菌きゅうきん
coccus
- 地球儀ちきゅうぎ
Earth globe (model); terrestrial globe
- 初球しょきゅう
pitcher's first pitch (to batter, or in the game)
- 速球そっきゅう
fastball
- 制球せいきゅう
(pitcher's) control
Study
Etymology
球 combines 王 (jade, precious stone) with 求, which likely contributes the sound. The original meaning was a beautiful stone or gem, later extended to a ball or sphere by shape association.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 王 looks like a precious round jewel, and the right side 求 suggests something sought after. Picture a perfectly round gemstone that you want to hold and play with like a ball.
Reading mnemonic
For キュウ, imagine a ball shaped like the letter Q: Q -> キュー, and the round Q-shape cues the reading キュウ.