feathers, counter for birds, rabbits
羽 centers on feathers and wings, the light structures that cover birds. The counter sense extends this to counting birds and rabbits, treating them as winged creatures.
counter for birds or rabbits
feather; plume; down
panel; wainscoting; wainscotting
feather; plume; plumage; down
chicken wing
to put on (coat, gown, etc.)
to flap (wings)
haori (Japanese formal coat)
emergence (of insects); eclosion; growing wings
swallowtail butterfly (esp. the citrus swallowtail butterfly, Papilio xuthus)
angel's raiment; robe of feathers
to be at one's wits' end; to be cornered; to be in a fix; to be in a desperate situation; to be in a pinch; to be in a predicament; to be packed to the hilt
white feather
Dewa (former province located in present-day Yamagata and Akita prefectures)
(string of) many (traditionally 1000) paper cranes
flapping sound (of wings); fluttering; hum (of insects); buzz (of bees, etc.)
tail feathers
tail and feathers
Ōu (the two former provinces of Mutsu and Dewa); Tōhoku
raincoat
羽 is a pictograph of two wings or feathers side by side. The modern form retains the paired wing-like strokes.
The two side-by-side shapes look like a pair of wings or feathers. Picture a bird's wing with feathers spread out: 羽.
For ウ, imagine a feather floating gently in the air, making a soft 'oo' sound as it drifts: oo -> ウ.