球
qiú · HSK 1
ball
⚽ qiú sounds like 'cue' — the cue ball on a pool table
球 means ball or sphere. The radical 王 (jade) on the left hints at the original sense: a jade sphere or precious round object. Today it covers everything round — basketballs, footballs, even the Earth (地球).
球 — jade radical 玉/王 + qiu 求 (phonetic)
球 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left side 王 is the 'jade' radical, indicating the original meaning: a fine piece of jade or a jade ornament. The right side 求 supplies the sound 'qiu'. Over time the meaning broadened from a jade sphere to any round object, and today it most commonly means 'ball' or 'globe'.