巡る
Meaning in Englishto go around
Animated kanji stroke order
Related sentences
Related sentences
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Word context
What it means
Meguru means to go around or pass through an area in a loop, visiting places in sequence; it also covers circulating or revolving around a topic or issue.
Main meanings
- to visit places in sequence or on a circuit
- to circulate or be circulated, such as information or rumors
- to revolve around a topic or issue in discussion
How to use it
Used in both spoken and written Japanese, 巡る appears in casual conversation and formal prose. It describes literal movement around places or a sequence of visits, and can indicate that something circulates or concerns a topic when used with phrases like をめぐる; common companions include 寺, 都市, and 話題, with usage in verbs and compound expressions in everyday and literary contexts.
Variants and close terms
- 回る, mawaru — go around
- 循環する, junkan suru — circulate
- 話題を巡る, wadai o meguru — revolve around a topic
- 巡回する, junkai suru — go on rounds (patrol)
Composition
- 巡: to patrol, go around;
- る: verb-ending that marks the dictionary form
- Together they form 巡る, meaning to go around or visit in sequence
Etymology
めぐる is the native kun'yomi reading of 巡, a verb formed through regular kana development without loanword influence, illustrating a typical phonetic adaptation from classical usage.
Origin
Historically attested in classical Japanese, 巡る describes circuits, pilgrimages, and moving along a loop; it has long been used in travel writing, religious contexts, and discourse about patterns or rounds.
Word class
verb (godan)