daruma dolls

Weighted roly-poly figures

Daruma dolls are round, hollow Japanese figurines modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism.

They're traditionally used as good-luck charms for achieving goals: you paint in one eye when setting a goal and the second when you achieve it.

The weighted bottom lets them right themselves when tipped over, symbolizing perseverance: Fall down seven times, stand up eight.

Related

Zen · luck · perseverance · goal · goal setting · eyes · painted · papier-mâché · round · wobble · never give up · roly-poly · meditation · monk · temple · New Year · fortune · resilience

Opposites
purpose/function

daruma dollsplaythings

Objects for recreation

Barbie dolls · action figures · stuffed animals · children's toys

symbolic meaning

daruma dollswhite flag

Signal of capitulation

quitting · defeat · giving up · resignation · despair

physical behavior

daruma dollsdominoes

Dot-marked game tiles

house of cards · bowling pins · falling objects

Family

doll, dolls, dolly, dollies

Familiarity
Top 1,000,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Positive · Rated G