ボール

• Reading: ボール
• Romaji: booru
• Pronunciation: /boː.ɾɯ/

Meaning

Ball; bowl. A spherical object used in sports, or a large mixing bowl.

A loanword from English with two distinct meanings. As 'ball,' it refers to balls used in sports and games: 野球のボール (yakyū no bōru, baseball), サッカーボール (sakkā-bōru, soccer ball). As 'bowl,' it refers to large mixing bowls used in cooking. Context usually makes the meaning clear.

Examples

1. 子供たちが公園でボールを投げて遊んでいる。 The kids are playing catch with a ball in the park.
2. サッカーボールを買いに行こう。 Let's go buy a soccer ball.
3. 大きいボールに材料を全部入れて混ぜてください。 Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix them together.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, cooking, play

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Borrowed from English 'ball' and 'bowl.' Both words were absorbed into Japanese as the same katakana word, creating a homophone with dual meanings.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal