Meaning and Usage
The character 丸 primarily refers to a spherical object or a small ball. It is commonly used in medical contexts as a measure word for pills or tablets, especially traditional Chinese medicine pills (丸药). In everyday language, it can describe any small round object, such as balls used in games or food items like fish balls.
Common Collocations
- 三丸药 (sān wán yào): three pills, used when specifying the number of pills prescribed.
- 鱼丸 (yú wán): fish balls, a popular food item.
- 彩色丸子 (cǎisè wánzi): colorful balls, often referring to toys or decorative items.
Usage Notes
When 丸 is used as a measure word for medicine, it always follows a number and precedes the noun 药 (medicine). It is less common to use 丸 alone to mean 'ball' without a suffix like 子 (zi). In food contexts, 丸 often appears as a suffix indicating a ball-shaped food item.
Common Confusion
Do not confuse 丸 with 完 (wán), which means 'complete' or 'finished' despite the identical pronunciation. Their meanings and usage are distinct, and 丸 is specifically related to shape or pills.