回します（まわします、mawashiまsu）
- to turn

The Japanese verb 回します (pronounced まわします, *ma-wa-shi-masu*) primarily means "to turn," "to rotate," "to spin," "to circulate," or "to pass around." It describes the action of causing something to move in a circular motion, or to move or be conveyed from one person or place to another. The specific meaning depends on the context. 回します is the polite, -masu form of the verb 回す (*mawasu*), which is the plain form. This verb is versatile and can be applied to a variety of objects and actions. 回します can also refer to the action of starting or operating a machine.

⚫︎このボタンを回します Translation: Turn this button. ⚫︎扇風機を回します Translation: Turn on the fan. ⚫︎お皿を回します Translation: Spin the plate (e.g., in a lazy susan). ⚫︎問題を他の人に回します Translation: Pass the problem to someone else.

You use 回します when you want to describe the act of rotating something, turning something on, spinning something, or passing something around. You’ll use it in everyday conversation. For example, if you want to tell someone to turn a knob, you'd use 回します. You can also use it to instruct someone to start a machine or to pass something to someone else. It's important to consider the context to fully understand the meaning. For more formal situations, the polite form 回します is appropriate, while the plain form 回す is used in less formal settings.

The verb 回します is typically written with the kanji 回 (meaning "turn," "round," or "times") and the hiragana します, which is the polite -masu conjugation. ⚫︎ Kanji: 回 ⚫︎ Hiragana: まわします ⚫︎ Romaji: *ma-wa-shi-masu* The okurigana (the suffix hiragana) is standard as します. The base form of the verb, 回す (*mawasu*), uses only the kanji 回 followed by the hiragana す.

Some words that have similar meanings or relate to the action of turning include: ⚫︎ 回転させる (*kaiten saseru*): to rotate, to spin ⚫︎ 回す (*mawasu*): (plain form of 回します) to turn, to rotate ⚫︎ ひねる (*hineru*): to twist, to turn (often with force) ⚫︎ まわる (*mawaru*): to go around, to revolve (intransitive - something turns by itself)

There aren't direct antonyms for 回します, as the meaning is very action-specific. However, words that describe stopping or not moving in a circular way could be considered opposites in a sense: ⚫︎ 止める (*tomeru*): to stop ⚫︎ 静止する (*seishi suru*): to be still, to cease movement

エアコンのスイッチを回します。 ・Translation: Turn on the air conditioner. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 回します to mean "to turn" or "to switch on" the air conditioner.

この情報をチーム全体に回します。 ・Translation: I will circulate this information to the whole team. ・Explanation: Here, 回します means to pass around or circulate the information.

The verb 回す, and therefore 回します, is derived from the kanji 回 (kai) which means "round," "turn," or "times." The verb itself originates from the concept of causing something to move in a circular or rotating manner. The etymology is fairly straightforward, linking the visual concept of something going around (e.g., a wheel) to the verb's meaning. The use of 回 is intuitive, as the circular shape reflects the action.