乳ちち

ち

○

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

noun

milk

Refers to milk in general, including breast milk and animal milk. Common in compounds like 牛乳 (cow's milk).

赤あかちゃんに乳ちちをあげる時じ間かんだ。
It's time to give the baby milk.
このチーズは新しん鮮せんな乳ちちから作つくられている。
This cheese is made from fresh milk.

noun

breast; breasts

Refers to the breast, especially in the context of nursing or anatomy. Can be used for both humans and animals.

母はは親おやは赤あかん坊ぼうに乳ちちを含ふくませた。
The mother gave the baby her breast.
牛うしの乳ちちからミルクを搾しぼる。
Milk is drawn from the cow's udder.

noun

loop; ring

Only with reading ち

Rare reading ち used for a loop or ring, often in traditional or technical contexts.

この飾かざり結むすびは乳ちの形けいをしている。
This decorative knot is shaped like a loop.

noun

decorative bump on a hanging bell

Only with reading ち

Rare reading ち used specifically for the raised decorative bumps on a bonshō (梵鐘, large hanging bell).

Written forms

乳Usage90%
- ちち
  Standard kanji spelling for the common reading ちち.
- ち
ちちUsage10%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the intended meaning is clear from context.
ちUsage<1%

Kanji

乳milk, breasts

Similar words

牛ぎゅう乳にゅう
Specifically cow's milk, while 乳 is a broader term for milk in general.
おっぱい
Informal and often childish word for breast or milk; 乳 is more neutral and can be used in formal contexts.

Etymology

The kanji 乳 is a pictograph originally depicting a woman breastfeeding, representing milk and breasts. The reading ちち is native Japanese, while ち is a shorter bound form used in some compounds and specialized terms.