ウール
ūru
The English word "wool" can be translated into Japanese as ウール (ūru) or 羊毛.
Meaning: hair of sheep, etc. (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| ウール | ūru |
| 羊毛 | yōmō |
The term refers to the hair of sheep, etc.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 羊毛 is composed of 羊 (sheep) and 毛 (hair/fur).
Which one should you use?
ウール is a loanword from English and is commonly used in fashion and retail contexts. In contrast, 羊毛 is a more formal or technical term used in biological or industrial contexts to refer to sheep's hair. Additionally, the term 毛糸 is a common way to say wool in an informal setting, often referring to wool as a crafting material for knitting or crochet.
How do you pronounce it?
ūru
Did you know?
- The kanji 毛 used in 羊毛 is also used in the word 毛嫌い, which describes a strong, irrational dislike of someone.
- The character 羊 in 羊毛 is a pictograph that originally depicted a sheep with its two horns and a tail.
- While 毛糸 is often translated as 'wool', it literally means 'hair thread' and is used for any yarn, including acrylic or cotton blends.
Examples in context
- 彼女はウールの服を着ていた。She was dressed in wool.This sentence is useful for describing someone wearing clothing made of ウール.Tatoeba #93176 by bunbuku, translation #388606 by CK
- 冬にウールの帽子をかぶるのは、普通よ。It is common for people to wear wool hats in winter.This sentence shows the commonality of wearing a hat made of ウール during winter.Tatoeba #11483583 by small_snow, translation #5294574 by tabular
- おばあちゃんのやり方を見ながら、羊毛の紡ぎ方を覚えました。I learned how to spin wool from watching my grandmother.This sentence demonstrates how to use 羊毛 when referring to the process of spinning wool.Tatoeba #1142247 by bunbuku, translation #253242 by CM
- 最近、寒くなったね。毛糸でセーターを編もうかな。It's gotten cold lately. I think I'll try knitting a sweater with wool.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are shopping for winter clothes in a department store.
- 結衣 Yuiこのセーター、ウールでできているの？Kono sētā, ūru de dekite iru no?Is this sweater made of wool?
- 蓮 Renうん、とても暖かいウールだよ。Un, totemo atatakai ūru da yo.Yeah, it's very warm wool.
- 結衣 Yui蓮くん、これ触ってみて。Ren-kun, kore sawatte mite.Ren, try touching this.
- 蓮 Ren本当だ、すごく柔らかいね。Hontō da, sugoku yawarakai ne.You're right, it's really soft.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wool” translations and entries ウール, 羊毛, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
