The Meaning of mawari [回り] In Japanese

回り
まわり
Romaji: mawari N5

What does 回り mean?

Translation and Meaning

around, circumference, perimeter, rotation, surroundings

Definition

What does 回り mean? It refers to the idea of going around or turning; as a noun, mawari covers circumference, perimeter, the act of turning, and the surrounding area. It can describe physical boundaries as well as the space around someone or something, and it appears in compounds and expressions to convey circuit or vicinity.

Type

Noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Circumference or perimeter of a physical object
  • Rotation, turning, or a circuit; the act of going around
  • Surroundings or the area around something or someone
  • Common compounds such as mawarimichi and other mawari-based formations

Composition

  • 回: to turn, circle; the core idea of turning or going around
  • り: a suffix that forms a noun indicating the state or concept related to the verb stem

Usage

Used as a noun to denote the concept of around or circumference; in geometry and daily speech it describes the space around a thing, and it appears in compounds such as 回り道 and 見回り.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: picture a wheel turning around its own axis; the 回 character visually suggests a loop, reinforcing the meaning of around.

Variations

  • 周囲 (しゅうい, shūi) — around, vicinity
  • 周回 (しゅうかい, shūkai) — circuit, lap
  • 回転 (かいてん, kaiten) — rotation
  • 見回り (みまわり, mimawari) — patrol/look-around
  • 回り道 (まわりみち, mawarimichi) — detour

Example Phrases

  • 今日は 営業 の 外回り に 出ます。
    Kyou wa eigyou no gaimawari ni demasu.
    I’m going out on sales visits today.
    Lista:
    • 今日は (Kyou wa) – direct translation in en
    • 営業 (eigyou) – direct translation in en
    • の (no) – direct translation in en
    • 外回り (gaimawari) – direct translation in en
    • に (ni) – direct translation in en
    • 出ます (demasu) – direct translation in en
    Here 「営業」 is the noun meaning ‘sales,’ and the expression 「営業の外回り」 means ‘going on sales visits’; the の connects 「営業」 to 「外回り」.
  • 公園の回りを一周した後、友達に会った。
    Kōen no mawari o isshū shita ato, tomodachi ni atta.
    After circling around the park, I met a friend.
    Lista:
    • 公園 (kouen) – park
    • の (no) – possessive/of
    • 回り (mawari) – around / perimeter
    • を (wo) – object marker
    • 一周 (isshū) – one lap / circuit
    • した (shita) – did
    • 後 (ato) – after
    • 友達 (tomodachi) – friend
    • に (ni) – to
    • 会った (atta) – met
    回り means around or circumference; here it is used in 「公園の回りを一周する」 to mean go around the park.
回り