Kanji	Hiragana
球	たま

Pronunciation: tama

How to Say It Outloud: tah-mah

Usage: Commonly used for balls in sports like baseball.

Example Sentence Japanese:

彼はホームランを打つためにボールを打った。

Example Sentence English:

He hit the ball to make a home run.

Kanji	Katakana
ボール	ボール

Pronunciation: bōru

How to Say It Outloud: boh-roo

Usage: General term for ball, often used for balls in sports.

Example Sentence Japanese:

子供たちは公園でボール遊びをしています。

Example Sentence English:

The children are playing with a ball in the park.

Kanji	Hiragana
鞠	まり

Pronunciation: mari

How to Say It Outloud: mah-ree

Usage: Typically refers to traditional Japanese handballs.

Example Sentence Japanese:

その鞠はとても美しい。

Example Sentence English:

That mari ball is very beautiful.

Dictionary

玉たまCommon wordjlpt-n3

Noun

ball; sphere; globe; orb

Noun

bead (of sweat, dew, etc.); drop; droplet

Noun

ball (in sports)

Noun

pile (of noodles, etc.)

Noun

bullet

Noun

bulb (i.e. a light bulb)

Noun

lens (of glasses, etc.)

Noun

bead (of an abacus)

Noun

ball (i.e. a testicle)

Noun

gem; jewel (esp. spherical; sometimes used figuratively); pearl

Noun

female entertainer (e.g. a geisha)

Noun

person (when commenting on their nature); character

Noun

item, funds or person used as part of a plot

Noun
Noun, used as a suffix

Noun, used as a suffix
Counter

okonomiyaki

Noun, used as a suffix

coin

Noun, used as a suffix

precious; beautiful; excellent

ボールボールCommon wordjlpt-n3

Noun

ball

Noun

ball (pitch delivered outside the strike zone)

Wikipedia definition

Ball

舞踏会ぶとうかい

Noun

ball; dance

Wikipedia definition

Ball (dance)

打球だきゅうCommon word

Noun

hitting (a ball with a bat, racket, golf club, etc.); batting; batted ball; struck ball

球体きゅうたい

Noun

sphere; globe; orb

Noun

ball

投球とうきゅうCommon word

Noun
Suru verb
Intransitive verb

pitching; throwing a ball; bowling (in cricket); pitched ball

ダンス・パーティーダンスパーティー

Noun

dance; ball; dance party

Wikipedia definition

Dance party

球きゅうCommon wordjlpt-n3

Noun

sphere; globe; ball; bulb

Noun

ball; sphere

Counter

counter for pitches

球技きゅうぎCommon word

Noun

ball game (e.g. baseball, tennis, soccer)

Noun

billiards

Wikipedia definition

Ball game

鞠まりjlpt-n1

Noun

ball (for sport, games, etc.)

Noun

kemari; type of football played by courtiers in ancient Japan

Wikipedia definition

Ball (mathematics)

直球ちょっきゅうCommon word

Noun

straight ball (pitch)

Noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

direct (e.g. question); blunt

お握りおにぎりCommon word

Noun

onigiri; rice ball (often triangular, sometimes with a filling and wrapped in nori)

変化球へんかきゅうCommon word

Noun

breaking ball (pitch); curve ball; screwball

落球らっきゅう

Noun
Suru verb
Intransitive verb

failing to catch a ball; dropping a ball; flubbing a catch

匍球ほきゅう

Noun

ground ball; grounder

砲丸ほうがん

Noun

cannonball

Noun

shot (in the shot put)

大玉おおだま

Noun

large ball; giant ball (e.g. as pushed by competing teams in a school sports day)

毬藻まりも

Noun

marimo (variety of algae, Cladophora aegagropila); round green algae; Cladophora ball; lake ball; moss ball

Wikipedia definition

Marimo

仮装舞踏会かそうぶとうかい

Noun

fancy dress ball; costume ball; masquerade ball

冴えるさえるCommon wordjlpt-n1