Back to dictionary
JLPT N16画 · 6 strokesradical 羊grade 3freq #1852

sheep

On'yomi (音読み)

  • ヨウ

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

  • ひつじ

Mnemonic

Imagine a fluffy sheep wearing a yoke, happily grazing under the sun, its wool making a soft, warm blanket for everyone around.

About this kanji

The kanji 羊 represents the meaning of "sheep" in Japanese. It is commonly used as a noun. In addition to its basic meaning, you can find it in several compound words. For example, 羊毛 (ようもう) means "wool," which is the hair that comes from sheep, while 子羊 (こひつじ) translates to "lamb," referring to a young sheep. Another term, 羊肉 (ようにく), means "mutton," which is meat from sheep. A quick usage note is that in both Japanese and many cultures, sheep are often associated with tenderness and innocence, often reflected in these compounds.

Example sentences

  • その羊はとても可愛い。

    That sheep is very cute.

Meanings across languages

English
sheep
Tiếng Việt
cừu
日本語
한국어
中文
id
domba
th
แกะ
es
oveja
fr
mouton
de
Schaf
pt
ovelha

Common compounds

  • 羊毛ようもうwool
  • 子羊こひつじlamb
  • 羊肉ようにくmutton, lamb (meat)
  • 羊水ようすいamniotic fluid
  • 牡羊おひつじram (sheep)
  • 山羊やぎgoat
  • 牧羊ぼくようsheep farming
  • 羊羹ようかんyōkan, jellied dessert made from red bean paste, agar, and sugar

Want to actually learn this kanji?

The dictionary is one view. The Kanji 360 app wraps every character with mnemonic images, audio readings, stroke-order animation, story context, and SRS scheduling — free to start on iPhone, iPad, and Android.