水玉（みずたま、mizutama）
- polka dot

The Japanese word 水玉 means "polka dots". It refers to a pattern of evenly spaced, circular dots on a surface, typically clothing or fabric. The word itself describes this specific design.

⚫︎水玉模様のスカート Translation: A polka dot skirt ⚫︎水玉のワンピースを着ています Translation: I am wearing a polka dot dress. ⚫︎赤い水玉のネクタイ Translation: A red polka dot tie.

You use 水玉 to describe anything that has a polka dot pattern. You can use it in everyday conversation when talking about clothes, accessories, or even decorations that feature polka dots.

⚫︎水玉 is typically written with the kanji 水 (みず - water) and 玉 (たま - ball/sphere, also jewel). However, it is most commonly written in hiragana as みずたま. ⚫︎There are no variations in okurigana.

There aren't direct synonyms for 水玉, as it specifically refers to the polka dot pattern. However, you could use descriptive phrases like: ⚫︎ドット柄 (dot pattern) ⚫︎水玉模様 (polka dot pattern - this is the more formal or descriptive way.)

There isn't a direct antonym because the word refers to a design. However, an opposite could be a solid color or a patterned design that is not polka dots.

彼女は可愛らしい水玉のバッグを持っていた。 ・Translation: She had a cute polka dot bag. ・Explanation: This sentence describes a bag with a polka dot pattern using the word 水玉.

この水玉のシャツはとても気に入っている。 ・Translation: I really like this polka dot shirt. ・Explanation: This sentence expresses a preference for a shirt with a polka dot pattern. The word 水玉 is used to specify the pattern.

The word 水玉 is a compound word. 水 (mizu) means "water" and 玉 (tama) means "ball" or "sphere." The combination likely refers to the rounded shape of the dots, reminiscent of water droplets or small spheres. The exact etymological path is not definitively known, but this is the most common interpretation.