The Japanese noun '論 (ろん)' primarily means 'theory' or 'argument'. It refers to a systematic explanation or reasoning about a subject, often used in academic, philosophical, or logical contexts. It can also imply a discussion or debate about a topic. For example: His theory is interesting「彼の論は面白い」(かれのろんはおもしろい). We had a debate about politics「私たちは政治についての論をした」(わたしたちはせいじについてのろんをした). The word is often used in compound nouns, such as '理論 (りろん)' (theory) or '議論 (ぎろん)' (discussion/debate).