独楽

Appears to be a shortening of older reading komatsukuri[1] or komatsuburi[1][2] (see below).

The shorter form koma is now the most common reading. The kanji spelling is an example of jukujikun (熟字訓).

• (Irregular reading)
  • (Tokyo) こ​ま [kóꜜmà] (Atamadaka – [1])[2]
  • IPA^(key): [ko̞ma̠]

独楽 (shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai kanji 獨樂, hiragana こま, rōmaji koma)

1. a spinning top
2. (by extension) a rigid object that can rotate freely around a fixed point
3. a 家紋 (kamon, “family crest”) in the form or shape of a spinning top
4. a hexagonal or octagonal top, decorated with images and/or writing, used for gambling

   Synonym: 御花独楽 (ohanagoma)

Older form of koma above.

Compound of 高麗 (Koma, “Goryeo; China; foreign lands”) +‎ つぶり (tsuburi, “round thing”, cognate with 円ら (tsubura), “round”).[1][2]

• (Irregular reading)
  • IPA^(key): [ko̞ma̠t͡sɨᵝbɯ̟ᵝɾʲi]

独楽 (shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai kanji 獨樂, hiragana こまつぶり, rōmaji komatsuburi)

1. (archaic, possibly obsolete) Same as こま (koma) above

Additional older form of koma above, attested in the Wamyō Ruijushō (938 CE).

Compound of 高麗 (Koma, “Goryeo; China; foreign lands”) +‎ 作り (tsukuri, “making; made thing”, the 連 (れん)用 (よう)形 (けい) (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of the verb 作 (つく)る (tsukuru, “to make”)).[1]

• (Irregular reading)
  • IPA^(key): [ko̞ma̠t͡sɨᵝkɯ̟ᵝɾʲi]

独楽 (shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai kanji 獨樂, hiragana こまつくり, rōmaji komatsukuri)

1. (archaic, possibly obsolete) Same as こま (koma) above

Ancient alternative to koma above. Probably from 紡錘 (tsumu, “a spindle”, root of the verb 紡む (tsumugu), “to spin thread or yarn”) +‎ 繰り (kuri, “winding”, the 連 (れん)用 (よう)形 (けい) (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of the verb 繰 (く)る (kuru, “to wind something onto something else”)).[2][3]

Occasionally also encountered with rendaku as tsumuguri.

• (Irregular reading)
  • IPA^(key): [t͡sɨᵝmɯ̟ᵝkɯ̟ᵝɾʲi]

独楽 (shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai kanji 獨樂, hiragana つむくり, rōmaji tsumukuri)

1. (archaic, possibly obsolete) Same as こま (koma) above

From Middle Chinese 獨樂 (MC duk̚ lɑk̚).

• On’yomi: Goon
  • (Tokyo) どくらく [dòkúrákú] (Heiban – [0])[2]
  • IPA^(key): [do̞kɯ̟ᵝɾa̠kɯ̟ᵝ]

独楽 (shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai kanji 獨樂, hiragana どくらく, rōmaji dokuraku)

1. fun or entertaining for one person alone

Used attributively with the particle の (no).

独楽 (shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai kanji 獨樂, hiragana どくらく, rōmaji dokuraku)

1. something fun or entertaining for one person alone
2. (uncommon) Same as こま (koma) above