Japanese kanji 毛: hair, fur and wool

The idea

毛 has four strokes; follow the linked diagram. On its own 毛 is け, as in animal fur; 毛布 is もうふ, 毛糸 is けいと and 羽毛 is うもう.

Examples

• 猫ねこの毛けは柔やわらかいです。The cat’s fur is soft.
• 犬いぬの毛けをブラシでとかします。I brush the dog’s fur.
• この毛布もうふはとても暖あたたかいです。This blanket is very warm.
• 冬ふゆは毛糸けいとの帽子ぼうしをかぶります。In winter I wear a woollen hat.
• 机つくえの上うえに鳥とりの羽毛うもうがありました。There was a bird’s feather on the desk.
• 羊ひつじの毛けから毛糸けいとを作つくります。Yarn is made from sheep’s wool.

Watch out

毛 can mean body hair or animal fur, but hair on the head is commonly 髪（かみ）. Do not assume 毛 is always read け in compounds.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 毛 in hiragana.

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   け

   毛 alone is け, as in 猫の毛, a cat’s fur.

2. Write the reading of 毛布 in hiragana.

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   もうふ

   毛布 is もうふ, a blanket; 毛 is read もう in this compound.

3. Choose the missing kanji: ＿糸（けいと）［毛／手］.

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   毛

   毛 completes 毛糸（けいと）, yarn. 手 is a different character meaning hand.

Use it today

Write 毛 in stroke order, cover the readings and read 毛布 and 毛糸. Then describe an animal’s fur.