The kanji 玉 primarily represents "jewel," "ball," "sphere," or something precious and beautiful. It often implies value, perfection, and smoothness. It can also refer to things that are round or spherical.

・On-yomi (音読み): ギョク (gyoku) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): たま (tama)

⚫︎ 宝石（ほうせき） Translation: Gemstone, jewel ⚫︎ 玉ねぎ（たまねぎ） Translation: Onion (literally, "ball onion") ⚫︎ 金玉（きんぎょく） Translation: Gold and jade (often used metaphorically for something valuable)

The kanji 玉 is a pictograph. It depicts a string of jade pieces. The three horizontal lines represent the jade pieces, and the vertical line through the middle is the string holding them together. Over time, the form has simplified. This design indicates value and beauty, as jade was highly prized in ancient China.