回る

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 地球は太陽の周りを回る。▶ —
   The Earth revolves around the Sun.
2. 頭が回らない。▶ —
   My head wont work.

Collocations

Mnemonic

Mawaru (回る) is the godan intransitive verb for "to turn / rotate / patrol / function" — paired with the transitive mawasu (回す, to spin). The kanji 回 pictures an enclosed mouth-inside-mouth pattern, hence rotation. Cluster: (1) physical rotation — chikyuu ga mawaru (the Earth rotates), koma ga mawaru (a top spins); (2) patrol / browse — mise wo mawaru (go around the shops), machi wo mawaru (walk the town); (3) abstract — atama ga mawaru (mind rotates, ie thinks quickly); (4) time — tokei no hari ga mawaru (the clock hand turns). The 回 kanji family: kaiten (rotation, as in kaiten-zushi conveyor-belt sushi invented in 1958 Osaka by Shiraishi Yoshiaki at Genroku-zushi using a beer-factory conveyor), ikkai (one time), jikai (next time), junkai (patrol), kaihi (avoidance). Kaiten-zushi cultural code: chains Kura-zushi, Suchi-rou (Sushiro), Hama-zushi, Gatten-zushi now dominate Japanese casual sushi. Each adds tacchi paneru (touch panels) and sara kaunto (plate counts). Korea and China imported the kaiten-zushi model. Mawari-michi (回り道, detour) figures life metaphorically. JLPT N5 mawaru integrates with mawasu, the transitivity pair, and the cultural cluster.

Quick check

1. When and who invented kaiten-zushi?

   • 1958, Osakas Genroku-zushi, Shiraishi Yoshiaki — adapting a beer factory conveyor
   • 1900 Tokyo Ginza
   • 1945 postwar
   • 1990 post-bubble