洋
ocean, sea, foreign, Western style
Readings
On'yomi
- ヨウ
Kun'yomi
—
Nanori
- なだ
- ひろ
- ひろし
- よ
- よし
Meaning
洋 centers on a vast body of water: the ocean or sea. The meanings 'foreign' and 'Western style' extend from the idea of things coming from across the sea.
Most common words using 洋
23 of 344- 西洋せいようN4
the West; the Occident; Western countries
- 洋服ようふくN5
Western-style clothes (cf. traditional Japanese clothes)
- 太平洋たいへいよう
Pacific Ocean
- 東洋とうようN2
the East; the Orient; (East) Asia
- 海洋かいようN2
ocean; sea
- 洋楽ようがく
Western music; European music
- 洋画ようがN1
Western painting
- 太平洋戦争たいへいようせんそう
Pacific War (1941-1945)
- 洋式ようしきN1
Western-style; foreign
- 洋食ようしょくN3
Western food; Western dish; Western cooking
- 洋風ようふうN2
Western style
- 大洋たいよう
ocean
- 洋書ようしょN1
Western book
- 洋上ようじょう
on the sea; on the ocean; offshore
- 外洋がいよう
open sea; ocean
- 洋酒ようしゅN1
Western wine and spirits; Western liquor
- 洋裁ようさいN1
(Western) dressmaking
- 洋室ようしつN1
Western-style room
- 和洋折衷わようせっちゅう
blending of Japanese and Western styles
- 大西洋たいせいよう
Atlantic Ocean
- 南氷洋なんひょうよう
Antarctic Ocean
- 洋間ようまN1
Western-style room
- 西洋人せいようじんN1
Western person; Westerner
Study
Etymology
洋 combines 氵 (water) with 羊, which likely contributes the sound. The character originally referred to a large body of water, and later gained the extended sense of 'foreign' from the idea of overseas.
Meaning mnemonic
Water 氵 and a sheep 羊: imagine a sheep floating on the ocean, having come from a foreign land across the sea.
Reading mnemonic
For ヨウ, picture a sheep floating on the ocean and saying 'yo!' as it waves: yo -> ヨウ, the ocean-crossing sheep.