Japanese kanji 肉: 肉 and 牛肉

The idea

肉 has 6 strokes; follow the linked stroke-order diagram. Read 肉 as にく and 牛肉 as ぎゅうにく. N4 is an estimated learning level, not an official JLPT kanji list.

Examples

• 弟おとうとは肉にくを食たべません。My younger brother doesn't eat meat.
• 牛肉ぎゅうにくをきのう買かいました。I bought beef yesterday.
• 豚肉ぶたにくと野菜やさいを料理りょうりします。I cook pork and vegetables.
• 焼肉やきにくを食たべに行いきます。I am going out to eat grilled meat.
• 肉にくは少すこしあります。There is a little meat.
• この肉にくはおいしいです。This meat is delicious.

Watch out

Compare the shapes of 肉 and 内. Read whole words: 肉 means meat, whereas 牛肉 means beef. 肉 means meat in general; 牛肉 specifies beef and 豚肉 specifies pork.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 肉 in hiragana.

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   にく

   肉 is read にく and means meat. In the example: My younger brother doesn't eat meat.

2. Write the reading of 牛肉 in hiragana.

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   ぎゅうにく

   牛肉 is read ぎゅうにく and means beef. In the example: I bought beef yesterday.

3. Fill in the missing kanji: 牛＿（ぎゅうにく）［肉／内］.

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   肉

   肉 completes 牛肉, read ぎゅうにく; the word means beef.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 肉 from memory, then read 肉 and 牛肉 aloud. Check their readings and meanings.