乳
milk, breasts
Readings
On'yomi
- ニュウ
Kun'yomi
- ちち
- ち
Meaning
乳 centers on the nourishing liquid produced by mammals: milk, and by extension the breasts that produce it.
Most common words using 乳
20 of 257- 乳ちちN1
milk
- 巨乳きょにゅう
huge breasts; huge boobs
- 乳首ちくびN5
nipple; teat
- 牛乳ぎゅうにゅうN5
(cow's) milk
- 母乳ぼにゅう
mother's milk
- 爆乳ばくにゅう
enormous breasts
- 豆乳とうにゅう
soy milk
- 哺乳類ほにゅうるい
mammal; mammalian
- 乳房ちぶさ
breast; udder
- 授乳じゅにゅう
breastfeeding; nursing; suckling
- 乳酸菌にゅうさんきん
lactic-acid bacilli
- 乳児にゅうじN3
infant (below 1 year old); suckling baby
- 乳製品にゅうせいひんN2
dairy products
- 乳幼児にゅうようじN1
babies and preschool children
- 乳がんにゅうがん
breast cancer
- 乳母うば
wet nurse; nursing mother
- 哺乳ほにゅう
suckling; nursing; lactation
- 乳液にゅうえき
latex (milky fluid found in plants)
- 乳頭にゅうとう
(mammary) nipple; teat
- 乳酸にゅうさん
lactic acid
Study
Etymology
乳 combines 孚 (a hand over a child, suggesting nurturing) with 乚 (a curved line possibly representing a breast or milk flow), together expressing milk and breastfeeding.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 孚 shows a hand reaching down to a child, and the right side 乚 curves like a breast or a stream of milk. Together they picture a mother nursing her baby: 乳 is milk.
Reading mnemonic
For ニュウ, imagine a new mother producing milk: new -> ニュウ, and the baby drinks from the breast.