Definitions
(noun)
sheep; goat
Etymology
Pictograph of the head of a sheep with horns.
About
The character 羊 began as a pictographic representation of a sheep's head, emphasizing its curved horns, which through gradual standardization solidified into its present form. Etymologically, it has consistently denoted the sheep or goat animal. Structurally, it exists as an independent character while also acting as a semantic component in numerous compounds, contributing meanings associated with the animal, such as in 美 where it sits above 大, or in 祥 where it combines with the radical 礻 to imply auspiciousness, a concept historically linked to ritual sacrifice of sheep. Its core zoological meaning has stayed central, though its role in character formation has extended its semantic reach into domains of quality and fortune.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
羊是一种动物。
这只羊在吃草。
农场里有许多羊。
羊肉很好吃。
牧羊人照顾羊群。
山羊和绵羊不同。
那只小羊跟着母羊。
在草原上，羊群安静地吃草。