球

• Pinyin: qiú
• Hanzi breakdown: 球 = 王 (jade radical) + 求 (to seek, phonetic component)

Meaning

Ball; sphere. The general word for any type of ball used in sports.

Used as a general term for balls and ball sports. Combined with other characters to specify the sport: 足球 (football), 篮球 (basketball), 乒乓球 (table tennis), 网球 (tennis). Also used in 地球 (Earth, literally 'earth ball').

Examples

1. 他很喜欢打球。 He really likes playing ball.
2. 这个球是我的。 This ball is mine.
3. 我们一起去踢球吧。 Let's go play football together.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我们打球去吧。(Let's go play ball.)
• 把球给我。(Pass me the ball.)

Don't Say

• 我玩球。(Slightly unnatural — use the specific verb: 打球, 踢球, or 打篮球 depending on the sport)

Origin & History

The character contains 王 (jade radical) and 求 (phonetic component). Originally referred to a jade bead, later extended to mean any sphere or ball.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal