The kanji 羊 primarily represents a "sheep" or "goat". This character encapsulates the essence of these animals, often associated with gentleness, farming, and the zodiac. The character refers to the animal itself and can also be used figuratively to describe similar qualities.

・On-yomi (音読み): ヨウ (you) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): ひつじ (hitsuji)

⚫︎羊 (hitsuji) Translation: sheep ⚫︎羊毛 (youmou) Translation: wool ⚫︎未年 (hitsuji-doshi) Translation: The Year of the Sheep (in the Chinese zodiac)

The kanji 羊 is a pictograph. The original form of the character depicted a sheep’s head, horns, and sometimes its body. Over time, the strokes simplified to the current form. The shape is a direct representation of the animal itself, emphasizing its characteristic features.