丸
丸·circle, round, whole
- On-yomi
- ガン
- Kun-yomi
- まるまる(い)まる(める)
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 丸い | まるい | round, circular |
| 丸 | まる | circle, the 'correct' mark |
| 丸薬 | がんやく | pill |
| 丸一日 | まるいちにち | a whole day |
Example sentences
子どもが紙に丸をかいた。
こどもがかみにまるをかいた。
The child drew a circle on the paper.
この店のテーブルはみんな丸い。
このみせのてーぶるはみんなまるい。
The tables at this shop are all round.
引っ越しに丸一日かかってしまった。
ひっこしにまるいちにちかかってしまった。
The move ended up taking a whole day.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Reading 丸薬 as *まるやく — it is がんやく
- Using 丸い for a ball; 丸い is flat-round (a circle), while 球 or 丸い形 covers spheres
Memory aid
Picture it
A person bending over into a ball shape — the single stroke curls right round on itself.
Vocabulary using this kanji
- 目を丸くするめをまるくするto be wide-eyed with surprise
- 丸いまるいround, circular
- 丸まるcircle; a whole (of a period); the correct-answer mark
- 丸ごとまるごとwhole; entirely
- 丸っきりまるっきりcompletely; utterly; (not) at all; just as if
- 丸めるまるめるto make round; to roll up (into a ball); to curl up; to round off (a number); to talk round
- 真ん丸いまんまるいperfectly round; perfectly circular
- 日の丸ひのまるthe Japanese flag; the rising-sun disc
- 丸々まるまるcompletely; entirely; wholly; a full (week, year, etc.)
- 丸でまるでjust like; as if; as though; (with a negative) not at all; completely
Quick check
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What does the kanji 丸 mean?