回る、回す
まわる、まわす · mawaru、mawasu · JLPT N4 · noun
to go around
🎡 回 = a box inside a box, going round; -ru it turns itself, -su you turn it
回 is one square wrapped around another, the old sign for circling. The pair splits by ending: mawaRU is intransitive (the wheel goes around), mawaSU is transitive (someone spins it). Same -ru/-su split as 残る/残す and 直る/直す.
回 — enclosure 囗 + smaller 囗 inside
回 is a pictograph of a swirling whirlpool or coiled spiral, shown as nested squares in modern form. The original meaning was 'to revolve' or 'turn around,' which extended to 'return' and 'a time/occurrence.' It also appears as a phonetic in characters like 茴 and 廻.
回 — enclosure 囗 + smaller 囗 inside
回 is a pictograph of a swirling whirlpool or coiled spiral, shown as nested squares in modern form. The original meaning was 'to revolve' or 'turn around,' which extended to 'return' and 'a time/occurrence.' It also appears as a phonetic in characters like 茴 and 廻.