玉

• Reading: たま
• Romaji: tama
• Kanji breakdown: 玉 (gyoku/tama) — ball, jewel, sphere
• Pronunciation: /ta.ma/

Meaning

Ball; sphere; bead; coin; bullet. A round object of various kinds.

A versatile noun with multiple meanings depending on context. Can refer to balls and spheres, beads and gems (玉のような), coins (百円玉), or bullets (鉄砲の玉). Also used in compounds like 目玉 (medama, eyeball) and お年玉 (otoshidama, New Year's money gift).

Examples

1. 百円玉が財布の中に三枚あった。 I had three hundred-yen coins in my wallet.
2. 子供たちが雪の玉を投げ合っている。 The kids are throwing snowballs at each other.
3. 目玉焼きを朝ごはんに作った。 I made a fried egg for breakfast.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, games, money

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 玉 is a pictograph of a string of jade beads. Originally meant 'jewel' or 'precious stone,' later extended to any round or spherical object. The radical 玉 (たまへん) appears in many kanji related to precious objects.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal