The Japanese Radical: 羊


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Meaning
sheep    羊

Explanation Pictogram of a sheep from above with horns 丷 backbone 丨 and wool 三 extending to the sides.

Used in these characters:
JLPT 5Joyo 2
before, front portion
mae, ZEN
Top: a part 䒑 of the head/horns of a sheep 羊, bottom: flesh 月/肉, knife, cut刂
The horns and the flesh are cut (beginning) at the front position.  
JLPT 4Joyo 3
work, act, karma
waza, GYŌ, GŌ
Top: hollow 业 (image of a volcano with hollow top; here: board 一 with a load), bottom: sheep 羊 with two extra legs 八
The loaded board on the sheep with the outwardly bent legs shows: It is at work.  
JLPT 4Joyo 3
reach, arrive, wear
tsuku, kiru, CHAKU
Top: variation of sheep 羊 (The horned 丷 animal with a backbone 丨 and laterally protruding due to thick wool 三 is the: sheep), one leg ノ and below: eye 目
The one-legged sheep is watching when you arrive and what you wear.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
beauty, fine
utsukushii, BI
Top: sheep 羊 (The horned 丷 animal with a backbone 丨 and laterally protruding due to thick wool 三 is the: sheep), below: big 大
A sheep of this big size is beautiful!  
JLPT 4Joyo 3
ocean, western

Left: water 氵, right: sheep 羊 (here: white rippled wave with a white crest like wool of a sheep)
The water ripples like sheep's (wool) in the ocean. [over which the Western came]  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
alike, such, polite suffix (Gentleman), condition
sama, zama,
Left: Tree 木, right: sheep 羊 and water 水
If you have trees, sheep and water you are a gentleman (or alike).  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
discussion, consultation, consideration, deliberation
GI
Left: word 言, right: morality, justice 義 (If the sheep 羊 is killed by me 我 - is this justice?) [I, me 我 = with my hand 手 at the halberd 戈]
Words of morality are part of a discussion.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
difference, distinction, discrepancy
sasu, SA
Top: sheep 羊 with a bent leg ノ, below: craftsman, construction 工
A sheep with a bent leg and a craftsman: what a difference!  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
accomplish, gain, attain, plural suffix
-tachi, TATSU
Left: movement 辶, right: variation of luck 幸 (earth 土 (=grazing lands 土) and sheep 羊)
For (new grazing) lands the sheep need to move, for: accomplishment. (Or: With a kind of luck and movements [=activity] you can accomplish.)  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
foster, bring up, support, to rear
yashinau,
Top: sheep 羊 (The horned 丷 animal with a backbone 丨 and laterally protruding due to thick wool 三 is the: sheep), below: food 食 (cover on good 良 food)
A sheep needs food when being fostered.  
JLPT 1Joyo 5
justice, morality, righteousness
GI
Top: sheep 羊 (The horned 丷 animal with a backbone 丨 and laterally protruding due to thick wool 三 is the: sheep), bottom: I, self 我 (with my hand 手 at the halberd 戈)
If the sheep is killed by a hand with a halberd, is that justice?  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
flock, group, crowd, cluster
mura, mure, GUN
Left: you, lord, master 君 (The one with the stick ノ in the hand ナ/ヨ striking on a mouth 口, is the master/lord.), right: sheep 羊 (The horned 丷 animal with a backbone 丨 and laterally protruding due to thick wool 三 is a sheep.)
If you (= the master) have sheep, then (hopefully) a flock.  
JLPT 2Joyo 6
goodness, virtuous, goodwill
yoi, ZEN
From top: sheep 羊, to stand 立, mouth 口
The sheep standing there with a gaping mouth has goodness and is virtuous.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
sheep
hitsuji,

The horned 丷 animal with a backbone 丨 and laterally protruding (by thick wool 三) is the: sheep.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
ceremony, case, affair
GI
Left: person 人, right: morality, justice 義 (Ìf the sheep 羊 is killed by a hand 手 with a halberd 戈, is that justice?) [I, me 我 = with my hand 手 at the halberd 戈]
A person with morality respects the ceremonies.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
sacrifice, scapegoat
GI
Left: cow 牛, right: morality, justice 義 (If the sheep 羊 is killed by a hand 手 with a halberd 戈, is that justice?)
Cows 牛 and sheep 羊 turn by me 我 (= the hand 手 at a halberd 戈) into: sacrifices.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
tenacious, grasp, transact, obsession, persistence
toru, SHITSU, SHŪ
Left: happiness 幸 (Between two 丷 earths 土/干 is the happiness), right: round 丸 (Sth. nine-九-sided needs an extra stroke 丶 to become round.)
(It slips out of our hands too easily:) As happiness is round, you have to grasp it tenaciously.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
good omen, lucky sign, good fortune, auspicious
SHŌ
Left: to show, altar 示/礻, right: sheep 羊 (The horned 丷 animal with a backbone 丨 and laterally protruding (by thick wool 三) is the: sheep)
An altar with a (sacrificed) sheep is a good omen. - (However: To sacrifice only woods 林 on the altar 示 is forbidden 禁)  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
detailed, accurate, minute
kuwashii, SHŌ
Left: word 言 (sound waves out of mouth 口), right: sheep 羊 (The horned 丷 animal with a backbone 丨 and laterally protruding (by thick wool 三) is the: sheep)
Words as protrudingly as the thick wool of a sheep are detailed.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
fresh, new, clear, vivid
azayaka, SEN
Left: fish 魚, right: sheep 羊 (The horned 丷 animal with a backbone 丨 and laterally protruding due to thick wool 三 is the: sheep)
(Both) fish and sheep must be fresh.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
darning, repair, fix, patch
tsukurou, ZEN
Left: thread 糸, right: goodness 善 (A sheep 羊, that stands 立 and opens the mouth 口 has goodness and is virtuous.)
A thread has the 'goodness' for darning/repairing.  
JLPT 2Joyo 7
slow, late, tardy, later
okureru, osoi, CHI
Left: movement 辶, right: buttock from the side 尸, sheep 羊 (The horned 丷 animal with a backbone 丨 and laterally protruding due to thick wool 三 is a sheep)
You move like the buttock of a sheep: too late and so slow.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
kiln, oven, furnace
kama,
From top: hole, cavity 穴 (here: the oven itself), sheep 羊, fire 灬
In this hole sheep are roasted on fire: in the oven.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
feel ashamed, be ashamed
SHŪ
Left: var. of sheep 羊 with bent leg ノ, right: cow, ox (zodiac) 丑 (var. of five 五)
For the sheep with five warped/bent legs you feel ashamed.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
envy, be jealous, covet
urayamu, urayamashii, SEN
Top: var. of sheep 羊, below: water 氵, to lack 欠 (to lack 欠 = The mouth wide open ⺈ of the yawning person 人 is lacking good manners) [next 次 = Ice 冫is lacking 欠, what comes next?]
If the sheep are lacking water, you are not envied.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
tray, served dishes
ZEN
Left: body/body part 月/肉, right: goodness, virtuous 善 (A sheep 羊, that stands 立 and opens the mouth 口, has goodness and is virtuous.)
The body feels good in front of a tray with dishes.  

Radicals are shown here that are similar either in appearance or meaning.

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