地球は球の形をしている。

the earth; the globe

topic marker particle; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis

ball; sphere; globe; orb; bead (of sweat, dew, etc.); drop; droplet; ball (in sports); pile (of noodles, etc.); bullet; bulb (i.e. a light bulb); lens (of glasses, etc.); bead (of an abacus); ball (i.e. a testicle); gem; jewel (esp. spherical; sometimes used figuratively); pearl; female entertainer (e.g. a geisha); person (when commenting on their nature); character; item, funds or person used as part of a plot; egg; coin; precious; beautiful; excellent

indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question

form; shape; figure; visage

indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.

to do; to cause to become; to make (into); to turn (into); to serve as; to act as; to work as; to wear (clothes, a facial expression, etc.); to judge as being; to view as being; to think of as; to treat as; to use as; to decide on; to choose; to be sensed (of a smell, noise, etc.); to be (in a state, condition, etc.); to be worth; to cost; to pass (of time); to elapse; verbalizing suffix (applies to nouns noted in this dictionary with the part of speech "vs"); creates a humble verb (after a noun prefixed with "o" or "go"); to be just about to; to be just starting to; to try to; to attempt to