General term for a three-dimensional round object; used in everyday and scientific contexts.
The Earth is shaped almost like a perfect sphere.
The Earth is not a perfect sphere.
ball; solid sphere
Mathematical term for a solid spherical shape, as opposed to just the surface (球面).
In mathematics, a ball includes the spherical surface and its interior.
The water droplet forms a sphere due to surface tension.
球体 refers to the sphere as an object itself, whereas 球状 describes something as being 'spherical in shape' (an adjectival/state term).
counter for small objects; counter for pieces · counter for military units · individual; one person · counter for years of age difference; counter for school years
Compound of 球 (kyū, 'sphere') and 体 (tai, 'body'), literally 'sphere body'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word follows standard Sino-Japanese word formation patterns.