koma wa tokeimawari ka hantokeimawari ni ugoku.

The playing pieces move clockwise or counterclockwise.

Breakdown of koma wa tokeimawari ka hantokeimawari ni ugoku.

• は: topic particle
• か: question particle
• 動うごく: to move
• に: target particle

Questions & Answers about koma wa tokeimawari ka hantokeimawari ni ugoku.

How is this sentence read?

It is read:

こま は とけいまわり か はんとけいまわり に うごく。

In normal Japanese writing, it would usually appear without spaces:

駒は時計回りか反時計回りに動く。

What does 駒 mean here?

駒 usually means a piece, counter, token, or some small movable object, especially in games or mechanical contexts.

Depending on context, 駒（こま） can also mean a spinning top. So the exact English word depends on what kind of object the sentence is talking about, but the grammar of the sentence stays the same.

Why is は used after 駒?

は marks 駒 as the topic of the sentence.

So the sentence has the feel of:

As for the piece, it moves clockwise or counterclockwise.

This is very common when Japanese is describing the properties, behavior, or general action of something.

If が were used instead, the nuance would shift more toward identifying what moves, rather than talking about the piece as the established topic.

How do 時計回り and 反時計回り work?