Meaning
The kanji 球 means ball, sphere, or globe — any round or roughly spherical object. Sports, science, and daily life all claim it: from baseballs to planets to light bulbs.
Structurally, 球 combines two parts. The left side is 王 — used here as the radical for 玉 (jewel or precious stone). The right side is 求 (to seek, to request). The combination suggests a polished, lustrous sphere: something precious and perfectly round. In ancient usage, this called to mind jade orbs and gems shaped into spheres by craftsmen for the nobility.
球 is a Grade 3 elementary school kanji with 11 strokes, belonging to the 王 radical group. Children encounter it early — especially through baseball (野球), Japan's most popular team sport. Japan's deep cultural bond with baseball means 球 is one of the most common N3 kanji in sports media. With it in your toolkit, a dense cluster of sports and science vocabulary becomes readable at once.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi is キュウ (kyuu). Nearly every compound uses this reading — sports news, science textbooks, and casual conversation alike.
Key compounds using キュウ:
- 野球 (yakyuu) — baseball; literally "field ball," Japan's most beloved sport
- 地球 (chikyuu) — the Earth; literally "ground sphere"
- 電球 (denkyuu) — light bulb; literally "electric sphere"
- 卓球 (takkyuu) — table tennis / ping-pong; literally "table ball"
- 球場 (kyuujou) — baseball stadium
- 球団 (kyuudan) — baseball team / club
- 眼球 (gankyuu) — eyeball; literally "eye sphere"
- 半球 (hankyuu) — hemisphere; literally "half sphere"
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi is たま (tama), used when the kanji appears alone or in native Japanese expressions. In casual speech, たま means a ball, a bullet, or any small round object. Note that 玉 (jewel) shares this reading — the two kanji overlap in casual use, though 球 more specifically implies a sports ball or perfect sphere.
- 球 (tama) — ball (standalone, in games or sports)
- 球遊び (tama asobi) — playing with a ball
- 球投げ (tama nage) — throwing a ball; pitching
Common Words & Compounds
球 forms compounds across several domains. Here are the most useful ones, grouped by topic.
Sports & Games
- 野球 (yakyuu) — baseball
- 卓球 (takkyuu) — table tennis / ping-pong
- 球技 (kyuugi) — ball sport / ball game
- 球場 (kyuujou) — baseball stadium
- 球団 (kyuudan) — baseball team / club
- 投球 (toukyuu) — a pitched ball; the act of pitching
- 打球 (dakyuu) — a batted ball
- 球速 (kyuusoku) — pitch speed
Science & Geography
- 地球 (chikyuu) — the Earth
- 半球 (hankyuu) — hemisphere
- 球形 (kyuukei) — spherical shape
- 球体 (kyuutai) — sphere; a spherical body
- 眼球 (gankyuu) — eyeball
Everyday Objects
- 電球 (denkyuu) — light bulb
- 水球 (suikyuu) — water polo
- 気球 (kikyuu) — hot air balloon; literally "air sphere"
Example Sentences
彼は野球が大好きです。
Kare wa yakyuu ga daisuki desu.
He loves baseball.
地球は太陽の周りを回っています。
Chikyuu wa taiyou no mawari wo mawatte imasu.
The Earth revolves around the Sun.
電球が切れたので、新しいものを買いに行きました。
Denkyuu ga kireta node, atarashii mono wo kai ni ikimashita.
The light bulb burned out, so I went to buy a new one.
ピッチャーは速い球を投げました。
Picchaa wa hayai tama wo nagemashita.
The pitcher threw a fastball.
子供たちは公園で球を投げて遊んでいる。
Kodomotachi wa kouen de tama wo nagete asonde iru.
The kids are tossing a ball around at the park.
気球に乗って、上空から景色を眺めた。
Kikyuu ni notte, joukuu kara keshiki wo nagameta.
I rode a hot air balloon and gazed at the scenery from high above.
この球団は今年のリーグで一位を取りました。
Kono kyuudan wa kotoshi no riigu de ichii wo torimashita.
This baseball team took first place in this year's league.
眼球の動きを追うことで、視線を測定できる。
Gankyuu no ugoki wo ou koto de, shisen wo sokutei dekiru.
By tracking eye movement, you can measure where someone is looking.
北半球では、夏は六月から始まります。
Kita-hankyuu de wa, natsu wa rokugatsu kara hajimarimasu.
In the Northern Hemisphere, summer starts in June.
Memory Tip
Picture a king (王) desperately seeking (求) his lost jewel — a perfectly round, glowing sphere rolling away across the floor. The left side 王 recalls the jade orbs prized by royalty; the right side 求 gives you the sound kyuu and the frantic chase. A ball in a game behaves the same way: always moving, always pursued. Round shape, royal jewel, the sound kyuu — one image holds all three.