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Kotomora

乳

milk, breasts

JLPTN2StatusJōyō · grade 6FrequencyTop 2,000Strokes8

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

Explore all words using 乳 →

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.