丸 means “circle, round”

まる · maru

Also: full (month), perfection, -ship

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

まる, まるめる, まるい

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ガン

JLPT N4 · Taught in grade 2 · 3 strokes

The story

The simplest and most perfect shape. In Japan, a circle ⭕ means "correct" on tests, and 丸 appears in castle names (丸の内, Marunouchi). Zen monks paint the ensō circle as a single, perfect brushstroke.

Used in 丸い (marui, round) and 日の丸 (hinomaru, Japanese flag)

More from Colors & Shapes

• 角 angle
• 線 line
• 形 shape
• 点 point
• 面 face
• 太 thick
• 細 thin
• 赤 red
• 青 blue
• 白 white
• 黒 black
• 色 color

Learn 丸 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.