雌め

noun, used as a prefix, noun, used as a suffix

female (animal)

Used as a prefix or suffix to indicate the female of an animal species, e.g., 雌犬 (female dog), 雌ライオン (lioness).

See also: 雄 (お)

• うちの雌めす猫ねこが子こ猫ねこを産うんだ。

  Our female cat gave birth to kittens.

• 動どう物ぶつ園えんで雌めすのパンダを見みた。

  I saw a female panda at the zoo.

noun, used as a prefix

smaller (of two); weaker (of two)

Prefix used in specific compound words to denote the smaller or weaker of a pair, such as 雌滝 (the smaller of two waterfalls). Not freely productive.

See also: 女滝

• 「雌め滝だき」は、二ふたつある滝たきのうち小ちいさい方ほうを指さす言こと葉ばだ。

  The word 雌滝 refers to the smaller of two waterfalls.

noun

woman (archaic)

Only when written 女

Archaic noun meaning 'woman'. In modern Japanese, 女 (おんな) is used instead.

• 古こ文ぶんでは雌めをめと読よんで女じょ性せいを表あらわすことがある。

  In classical Japanese, 雌 can be read as め and mean woman.

noun

wife (archaic)

Only when written 妻

Archaic noun meaning 'wife'. Modern Japanese uses 妻 (つま).

• 古こ語ごでは雌めをめと読よんで妻つまを意い味みした。

  In old Japanese, 雌 could be read as め and mean wife.