回 means “times, turn”

かい · kai

Also: -times, round, game, revolve

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

まわる, まわす, まわし-, もとおる, かえる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

カイ, エ

JLPT N4 · Taught in grade 2 · 6 strokes

The story

A whirlpool spiraling inward, circle within circle. 回 counts the spins of life: 一回 once, 二回 twice, and 回転寿司, sushi turning endlessly past on its belt.

Used in 一回 (ikkai, once), 今回 (konkai, this time), and 回転寿司 (kaitenzushi, conveyor-belt sushi)

More from Motion & Change

• 動 move
• 集 gather
• 別 separate
• 引 pull
• 使 use
• 始 begin
• 終 end
• 止 stop
• 転 revolve
• 起 wake
• 去 leave
• 注 pour

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

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