角
Meanings
1
Refers to a hard projecting growth on an animal's head, including both horns and antlers depending on the animal.
The cow's horns were bigger than I expected.
A deer's antlers are replaced every year.
2
Everyday use for slender feeler-like projections, especially a snail's tentacles; the more technical word for insect antennae is often 触角.
The snail stuck out its tentacles.
3
peak; horn-like projection
Used for a pointed shape resembling a horn; common in cooking in the phrase 角が立つ, meaning that whipped cream, egg whites, etc. form peaks.
Whip the cream until peaks form.
Usage patterns
- 角が生えるfor horns/antlers to grow
Even the fawn is starting to grow small antlers.
- 角が立つfor whipped cream, egg whites, etc. to form stiff peaks
Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Expressions
- 角のあるhorned; antlered
- 角を出すget jealous; show jealousy
- 角を折るgive in; yield; concede
- 豊穣の角cornucopia; horn of plenty
- 角を生やすget jealous (of a woman); grow horns (of jealousy)
- 角を矯めて牛を殺すto throw the baby out with the bath water; to strain at a gnat and swallow a camel; to obsess over insignificant details and miss the larger point