5
回る

To Revolve


Meaning

To Revolve, To Go Around, To Rotate

Word Type

intransitive verb, godan verb

Explanation

This word consists of kanji with hiragana attached. Because the hiragana ends with an う sound, you know this word is a verb. The kanji itself means times. There's no good verb for the word "times" but you can probably imagine something doing something over and over and over again. What word would represent this? It would be to revolve, to go around, or to rotate. Bear in mind that this verb is intransitive, so it happens on its own. Something revolves or rotates, all by itself.


Reading

まわる

Explanation

Since this word consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, you can bet that it will use the kun'yomi reading. You didn't learn that reading with this kanji, so here's a mnemonic to help you: You have a bag of walnuts that you're bringing to a friend's house but you trip and drop them all on the ground. You shout, "Mah Walnuts! (まわ)" as they start to revolve around you on the ground. Picture your walnuts going around you, getting all dirty.


Context

Patterns of Use

Common Word Combinations

  • あいさつに回る

    to go around greeting people

    いっしょに回る

    to go around together

    スムーズに回る

    to go smoothly

  • 会社を回る

    to visit companies

    コーナーを回る

    to turn a corner

    シアトル市を回る

    to go around Seattle

  • カメラが回る

    the camera rolls

    モーターが回る

    the motor turns

    目が回る

    to get dizzy

Context Sentences

テーブルの上で、コインが回る。

The coin spins on the table.

スシには、「回るスシ」と「回らないスシ」二つのタイプがあります。

There are two types of sushi. "Sushi that goes around" and "sushi that doesn't go around".

去年のバレンタインはクラス中を回って女子からチョコレートをもらった。

Last year on Valentine's day I went around the class and got chocolates from girls.


Kanji Composition