羊
hitsují[çi̥t͡sɨʑi]
The Japanese word for sheep is 羊 (hitsují). If unsure, use 羊. Wiktionary also lists 綿羊 (men'yō).
Meaning: animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 羊 | hitsují | [çi̥t͡sɨʑi] (narrow) |
| 綿羊 | men'yō | [mẽ̞ɰ̃jo̞ː] (narrow) |
羊 is used for the biological species and the general concept of sheep. In Japanese, the term does not typically distinguish between singular and plural contexts, so it can refer to one sheep or a group of sheep.
Which one should you use?
羊 is the general term for sheep. In contrast, 綿羊 specifically refers to domesticated woolly sheep used for wool or meat.
How does it change in a sentence?
When counting sheep, use the counter 頭 (tō) for large animals instead of the general counter 個 (ko).
How do you pronounce it?
hitsují
Did you know?
- The character 羊 is the visual root of the kanji for 'beautiful' 美, which depicts a sheep standing on a large vessel.
- In Japanese culture, the phrase 'counting sheep' to fall asleep is a borrowed Western concept rather than a native tradition.
- The word 羊 can be found in the name of the famous 'Sheep's Cloud' 羊雲, a term for altocumulus clouds that look like small woolly flocks.
Examples in context
- 私は羊の群を見た。I saw a flock of sheep.This sentence is useful for describing seeing a flock of sheep using 羊.Tatoeba #152434 by bunbuku, translation #262116 by CK
- 野原には六頭の羊がいた。There were six sheep in the field.This sentence is useful for practicing the counter for sheep using 羊.Tatoeba #79611 by KK_kaku_, translation #324107 by CK
- トムは羊を飼ってるんだ。Tom has sheep.This sentence is useful for expressing that someone owns sheep using 羊.Tatoeba #9462778 by small_snow, translation #2549683 by CK
- 彼女は可愛い羊を飼っています。She owns an adorable sheep.
- 田舎で綿羊の飼育をしています。I raise woolly sheep in the countryside.
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are at a small petting zoo.
- 健太 Kentaあの羊、すごく可愛いね。Ano hitsuji, sugoku kawaii ne.That sheep is really cute.
- 結衣 Yui本当だね。ふわふわしてるよ。Honto da ne. Fuwafuwa shiteru yo.It really is. It looks so fluffy.
- 健太 Kenta羊にエサをあげてもいいかな？Hitsuji ni esa o agetemo ii kana?I wonder if I can feed the sheep?
- 結衣 Yuiあ、あそこにエサがあるよ。A, asoko ni esa ga aru yo.Oh, look, there is food over there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sheep” translations and entries 羊, 綿羊, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
