羊 (yáng) - sheep & goat

羊Tone 2

yáng ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 羊

嬿一

羊 · yáng

sheep;

goat;

a sacrificial animal in ancient rituals;

auspicious symbol;

component meaning 'sheep' or 'related to sheep'.

sheepgoata sacrificial animal in ancient rituals

Usage highlights

sheeplamb meatwoolshepherdgoatsheepfold

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 狼— wolf (predator of sheep)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The shepherd tends the sheep (羊).
  • We eat lamb hot pot (羊肉火锅).
  • She wears a wool sweater (羊毛衫).
  • He studies animal husbandry (养羊).

Collocations

  • sheep(羊)
  • lamb meat(羊肉)
  • wool(羊毛)
  • shepherd(牧羊人)
  • goat(山羊)
  • sheepfold(羊圈)

Idioms

  • Leading a wolf into the house(引狼入室)
  • Hanging a sheep's head but selling dog meat(挂羊头卖狗肉)
  • Like a tiger adding wings(如虎添翼)
  • A lost lamb(亡羊补牢)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese culture, sheep symbolize gentleness, kindness, and auspiciousness.
  • The character appears in many positive words like 祥 (auspicious) and 美 (beautiful).
  • In the Chinese zodiac, the Goat/Sheep is the eighth animal, representing creativity and harmony.

FAQ