丸 (wán) — (noun) small round object; ball; pellet; pill; (classifier) for small round objects like pills, meatballs, etc.
Definition
丸 (wán) names a small, round, solid thing — usually a pill or a ball-shaped food (like meatballs), and acts as a classifier for these. Unlike 球, which is a ball you throw or play with, 丸 is for solid, often edible pellets.
noun
small round objectballpelletpill
classifier
for small round objects like pills, meatballs, etc.
Measure word · 粒
Examples
- 丸。Yī shēng ràng wǒ měi tiān chī yì wán yào.The doctor told me to take one pill every day.
- 。Mā ma zuò de ròu wán fēi cháng hǎo chī.The meatballs my mom makes are very delicious.
- 丸。Zhè guō yú wán tāng wèi dào hěn xiān.This pot of fish ball soup tastes very fresh.
Origin
Indicative sign六书liùshū
指事zhǐshìAn abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.
丸 is a later form split off from 夗. One explanation says its shape came from turning over a character meaning to tilt, giving the sense of something round.
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