玉 – Meaning, Reading & Usage

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玉

玉 means ‘jewel,’ ‘ball,’ or ‘bead.’ It looks very similar to 王 (king) but has an added dot representing a precious gem or a round object.

Reading

On’yomi:

ギョク (GYOKU)

Kun’yomi:

たま (tama)

Basic Information

Kanji 玉
Meaning ball, jewel, gem
Stroke Count 5
JLPT Level N5

How to Understand This Kanji

玉 can refer to a precious stone, a ball or sphere, a bead, or even an eye (目玉). In everyday speech, it often appears in compound words for round objects. The on’yomi ギョク is used in formal or literary contexts.

Common Words

  • 玉
    （たま）
    — ball, jewel, bead, gem

  • 玉ねぎ
    （たまねぎ）
    — onion (literally ‘ball onion’)
    Named for its round bulb shape.
  • 目玉
    （めだま）
    — eyeball

  • 水玉
    （みずたま）
    — water droplet; polka dot

  • お玉
    （おたま）
    — ladle (kitchen tool)

  • 宝玉
    （ほうぎょく）
    — precious gem, jewel

Example Sentences

  • きれいな玉を拾いました。

    きれいなたまをひろいました。

    I picked up a pretty bead.

  • 玉ねぎを切るのは目が痛い。

    たまねぎをきるのはめがいたい。

    My eyes hurt when cutting onions.

  • 水玉模様のシャツを買いました。

    みずたまもようのシャツをかいました。

    I bought a polka-dot shirt.

Related Kanji

  • 王

    — King — almost identical in shape; learning them side by side prevents confusion

  • 石

    — Stone — related to gems and materials; jewels are precious stones

  • 金

    — Gold — another precious material; 金 and 玉 both appear in ‘treasure’ vocabulary

When Learners Usually See This Kanji

玉 and 王 differ by just one dot — a common source of confusion for learners. A useful reminder: 玉 has a ‘sparkle’ (the dot) because it is a shiny jewel, while 王 stands tall and unadorned as a king.

Summary

玉 means ‘jewel’ or ‘ball’ and is closely related in shape to 王 (king), differing only by a dot.

Kanji 玉
Meaning ball, jewel, gem
On’yomi ギョク (GYOKU)
Kun’yomi たま (tama)
Strokes 5
JLPT N5