野や獣じゅう

や

じゅ

う

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

wild beast; wild animal; brute

Refers to undomesticated, often dangerous animals; can also be used figuratively for a person acting in a brutal, uncivilized manner.

森もりの奥おくで野や獣じゅうの遠とお吠ぼえが聞きこえた。
We heard the distant howl of a wild beast deep in the forest.
彼かれは怒いかりで野や獣じゅうのようになった。
He became like a brute in his anger.

See all 9 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

野や獣じゅうのような〈人ひと〉a person who is beast-like (brutal, uncivilized)
彼かれは怒おこると野や獣じゅうのような目めつきになる。
When he gets angry, his eyes take on a beast-like look.
野や獣じゅうに襲おそわれるto be attacked by a wild beast
山やまでキャンプをしていた男だん性せいが野や獣じゅうに襲おそわれた。
A man camping in the mountains was attacked by a wild beast.
野や獣じゅうを狩かるto hunt a wild beast
彼かれらは森もりで野や獣じゅうを狩かって生せい活かつしている。
They make a living by hunting wild beasts in the forest.

Kanji

野plains, field, rustic
獣animal, beast

Related words

猛もう獣じゅう
猛獣 highlights a beast's ferocity and danger (e.g., lions, tigers), while 野獣 simply stresses that the animal is wild and untamed.
野や生せい動どう物ぶつ
野生動物 is the neutral, scientific term for 'wildlife', whereas 野獣 carries a more primal or brutal connotation.
獣けものN1
獣 is a plain, general word for 'beast' or 'animal', while 野獣 specifically emphasizes that the beast lives untamed in the wild.
ビースト
野獣 is a native Japanese term for a wild, brutish beast, while ビースト is a katakana loanword often used in fantasy or game contexts.

Opposites

家か畜ちくN1
家畜 refers to domesticated livestock raised by humans, the direct opposite of a 野獣 living wild and untamed.

Counted with

匹ひきN3
The general counter for small and medium animals — dogs, cats, fish, insects; large animals take 頭.
頭とうN3
For large animals (horses, cattle, large dogs) and animals counted as livestock or specimens.

Etymology

Compound of 野 (field, wild) and 獣 (beast, animal). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination naturally conveys the meaning of a wild animal.