球
きゅう · kyuu · JLPT N3 · noun
earth
⚽🌐 kyuu sounds like cue, as in the cue ball in pool
球 = 王 (jade/gem radical) + 求 (kyuu, to seek), so the right side gives the sound. Originally a round jade gem, now any ball or sphere: 野球 (yakyuu) is baseball, 地球 (chikyuu) is the Earth.
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'.
たま · tama · JLPT N3 · noun
earth
⚽🌐 球 = jewel 王 + seek 求: a round gem, and tama is also 玉, jewel
The left part 王 is the jade/jewel radical (玉), and 求 gives the sound. The reading tama is shared with 玉 (jewel, bead), so a ball is a polished round gem. The same kanji shows up in 野球 (baseball) and 地球 (the globe).
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'.