How to say "ring" in Japanese

• リングCommon
  nounThe loanword for a ring as a physical object: a finger ring, or the ring of a boxing or wrestling arena. Choose it for the tangible item rather than for circles in general.
• 輪わJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe general word for anything ring-, circle- or loop-shaped: a hoop, a circle drawn on paper, a ring of people holding hands. It names the shape itself.
• 鳴らすならすJLPT N2approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbTransitive verb: to ring or sound something, as in ringing a bell, sounding an alarm, honking a horn or beating a drum. You make the thing ring.
  火事かじの時ときはベルを鳴ならせよ。↗

  In case of fire, ring the bell.
• ループCommon
  nounThe loanword really means loop — a loop of rope or string, a loop in a program — so for a ring in the ordinary sense it is seldom the word you want.
• 鳴るなるJLPT N4approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbThe intransitive counterpart of 鳴らす: something rings or resounds by itself, as when the telephone, a bell or an alarm clock rings. No agent is expressed.
  電話でんわは繰り返くりかえし鳴なっていた。↗

  The telephone rang repeatedly.

For the object, 「リング」 is the loanword (a finger ring, a boxing ring) while 輪 covers any ring or circle shape; for the sound, ring something with 「鳴らす」 and let it ring with 「鳴る」; 「ループ」 is really 'loop'.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• リングring
• 輪わring
• 鳴らすならすto ring
• ループloop
• 鳴るなるto sound
• コール(telephone) call
• 音ねsound
• 円環えんかんcircle
• 一味いちみclan
• 輪っかわっかring
• 環かんring
• 打ち鳴らすうちならすto ring (a bell)
• 鐶かんring
• リング状リングじょうring (shaped)
• リンring (sound)
• 暈かさhalo (around the Sun, Moon, etc.)
• 足輪あしわleg band (e.g. on bird or hospital patient)
• 団だんgroup
• ちんding (of a bell)
• 指輪ゆびわ(finger) ring
• 土俵どひょう(wrestling) ring
• 指金ゆびがね(finger) ring
• 試合場しあいじょうvenue (for judo, kendo, etc.)
• 村社会むらしゃかいring
• 核かくring (in a cyclic compound)
• 色いろtone (of one's voice, etc.)