球 (qiú) - Ball & sphere

球Tone 2

qiú ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

情仁

球 · qiú

Ball;

sphere;

globe;

any round object;

also refers to sports balls and the Earth.

Ballsphereglobe

Usage highlights

FootballBasketballEarth/globeBall gameGlobalTennis ball

Synonyms

  • 珠— Pearl; bead (small spherical object)
  • 丸— Pellet; pill (small ball)

Antonyms

  • 方— Square (opposite shape)
  • 角— Corner; angle (opposite of round)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He kicked the football (足球).
  • We live on planet Earth (地球).
  • They play basketball (篮球) every weekend.
  • The crystal ball (水晶球) was clear and round.

Collocations

  • Football(足球)
  • Basketball(篮球)
  • Earth/globe(地球)
  • Ball game(球赛)
  • Global(全球)
  • Tennis ball(网球)

Idioms

  • A narrow escape(擦边球)
  • Kick the ball(踢皮球)
  • Global village(地球村)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese culture, round objects like balls symbolize completeness and unity.
  • The character appears in names of many popular sports in China.
  • 地球 (Earth) reflects the traditional Chinese view of the world as spherical.

FAQ