Translation guide
The animal 'sheep' is 羊 (ひつじ) in Japanese. This guide covers the animal, its cultural significance, and related expressions.
Referring to the animal sheep, either as a species or individual animals.
The standard word for sheep. Can refer to both the animal in general and individual sheep. Japanese does not typically distinguish between singular and plural.
牧場に羊がたくさんいます。
There are many sheep on the farm.
羊の毛は暖かいです。
Sheep's wool is warm.
Literally 'cotton sheep', a more technical or formal term for sheep, emphasizing wool production. Rare in everyday speech.
綿羊の品種改良が進んでいます。
Breed improvement of sheep is progressing.
Expressing the number of sheep, or the act of counting sheep to fall asleep.
The phrase 'counting sheep' to fall asleep. Use the counter 匹 (ひき) for small animals, but the phrase itself is idiomatic.
眠れないときは羊を数えます。
When I can't sleep, I count sheep.
The actual counting chant: 'One sheep, two sheep...' using the counter 匹 (ひき/ぴき).
羊が一匹、羊が二匹、羊が三匹…
One sheep, two sheep, three sheep...
Referring to the Year of the Sheep/Goat/Ram in the Chinese zodiac.
The zodiac year of the Sheep. Note that the same character 未 can also be interpreted as Goat or Ram depending on cultural context, but in Japan it is commonly associated with sheep.
来年は未年です。
Next year is the Year of the Sheep.
The zodiac sign itself, the eighth sign. Often used in fortune-telling or personality descriptions.
私は未年生まれです。
I was born in the Year of the Sheep.
Referring to the meat of sheep, distinguishing between adult sheep (mutton) and young sheep (lamb).
General term for sheep meat, can refer to both mutton and lamb. Often used in the context of Genghis Khan (ジンギスカン), a popular grilled mutton dish.
北海道でジンギスカンを食べました。羊肉がとても美味しかったです。
I ate Genghis Khan in Hokkaido. The mutton was very delicious.
Loanword from English 'lamb', specifically referring to meat from young sheep. Common in restaurant menus.
ラムチョップを注文しました。
I ordered lamb chops.
Loanword from English 'mutton', specifically meat from adult sheep. Less common than ラム.
Using 'sheep' metaphorically to describe a person who blindly follows others, or a gentle, meek person.
Literally 'flock of sheep', used metaphorically for people who follow the crowd without thinking.
彼らは羊の群れのように同じ方向に進んだ。
They moved in the same direction like a flock of sheep.
A person who is like a sheep, meaning meek, gentle, or easily led. Can be positive or negative depending on context.
彼女は羊のような人で、誰とでも仲良くできる。
She is a gentle person who gets along with everyone.
羊 (ひつじ) is sheep, while 山羊 (やぎ) is goat. They are distinct animals in Japanese, though the zodiac sign 未 can sometimes be interpreted as goat in other cultures. In Japan, 未年 is usually associated with sheep.
To count sheep, use the counter 匹 (ひき). The pronunciation changes: いっぴき (1匹), にひき (2匹), さんびき (3匹), よんひき (4匹), etc. The phrase 'counting sheep' is 羊を数える.
Mutton has a stronger flavor than lamb.