肉

See also: 内

肉 U+8089, 肉 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-8089 ← 肈 [U+8088] CJK Unified Ideographs 肊 → [U+808A]

⾁ U+2F81, ⾁ KANGXI RADICAL MEAT ← ⾀ [U+2F80] Kangxi Radicals ⾂ → [U+2F82]

Translingual

Stroke order

Stroke order

Alternative forms

• ⺼ U+2EBC (when used as a left Chinese radical in compositions)

The left component form ⺼ looks very similar to ⺝, the left radical form of 月 (“moon”), and is often drawn identically in compounds. However they are etymologically distinct, and careful usage distinguishes the cross strokes, with ⺼ written with unattached diagonal strokes. This is particularly an issue in looking up characters by radical; compare 月 index and 肉 index.

The radical form ⺼ may also appear twisted to a diagonal, resembling 夕 with an added line, as in 祭, 然, and 將.

Han character

See images of
Radical 130 肉

肉 (Kangxi radical 130, 肉+0, 6 strokes, cangjie input 人月人 (OBO), four-corner 4022₇, composition ⿵内人 or ⿻冂仌)

1. Kangxi radical #130, ⾁.

Derived characters

• Appendix:Chinese radical/肉
• 𪠼, 𢫭, 𭸆, 𨹌, 朒, 𣧻, 𧻣, 𩣀, 䯐, 𩶩, 𨛇, 𦧘, 𭑶, 𠒯, 𫻯, 𭃘, 𡱎, 𢩌, 𥭊, 𨿇, 𩬳, 𪗌, 瘸, 𤻚
• 將 (top right component)
• 祭 (top left component)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 973, character 1
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 29236
• Dae Jaweon: page 1424, character 4
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 5, page 2931, character 1
• Unihan data for U+8089

Chinese

simp. and trad.		肉
alternative forms		宍 𥤬 𠕜 𡧢 𠕎 宍 𥤬 𠕜 𡧢 𠕎 𮌇

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 肉
Shang	Western Zhou	Warring States		Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)	Libian (compiled in Qing)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Qin slip script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts	Clerical script

	Old Chinese
朒	*nuɡ
肉	*njuɡ

Characters in the same phonetic series (肉) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

Pictogram (象形) – ribs of an animal’s torso or simply a physical representation of a slice of meat. Stylized into 月 when next to a phonetic component and 𱼀 and/or 夕 inside some characters.

Etymology 1

Probably from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *now (“tender; soft”), which has also been compared to 柔 (OC *mlju, “soft; flexible”), 揉 (OC *mju, “to knead”), 軟 (OC *njonʔ, “soft”), 弱 (OC *njewɢ, “weak”), 懦 (OC *noːls, *njo, “cowardly”), 荏 (OC *njɯmʔ, “weak”) (STEDT; Schuessler, 2007). Alternatively, it may be from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-nja-k (“meat, flesh”) (STEDT).

"media"

Back-formation of 生肉 (shēngròu). See there for more.

Pronunciation

Variety	Location	edit 肉
Mandarin	Beijing	/ʐou⁵¹/
	Harbin	/ʐou⁵³/
	Tianjin	/iou⁵³/ /ʐou⁵³/
	Jinan	/ʐou²¹/
	Qingdao	/iou⁴²/
	Zhengzhou	/ʐou³¹²/
	Xi'an	/ʐou⁴⁴/
	Xining	/ʐɯ²¹³/
	Yinchuan	/ʐəu¹³/
	Lanzhou	/ʐou¹³/
	Ürümqi	/ʐɤu²¹³/
	Wuhan	/nəu²¹³/
	Chengdu	/zu³¹/ /zəu¹³/
	Guiyang	/zu²¹/
	Kunming	/ʐəu²¹²/ /ʐu³¹/
	Nanjing	/ʐəɯ⁴⁴/
	Hefei	/ʐɯ⁵³/
Jin	Taiyuan	/zəu⁴⁵/ 豬～ /zuəʔ²/ ～桂
	Pingyao	/ʐəu³⁵/
	Hohhot	/ʐəu⁵⁵/
Wu	Shanghai	/ȵioʔ¹/
	Suzhou	/ȵioʔ³/
	Hangzhou	/zoʔ²/
	Wenzhou	/ȵɤu²¹³/
Hui	Shexian	/niu²²/
	Tunxi	/ȵiu¹¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/ʐəu²⁴/
	Xiangtan	/iəɯ²⁴/
Gan	Nanchang	/ȵiuʔ⁵/
Hakka	Meixian	/ŋiuk̚¹/
	Taoyuan	/ŋiuk̚²²/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/jok̚²/
	Nanning	/juk̚²²/
	Hong Kong	/jʊk̚²/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/liɔk̚⁵/ /hik̚⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/nyʔ⁵/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/ny⁴²/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/nek̚⁵/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/hiɔk̚³/

Rime
Character	肉
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	日 (38)
Final (韻)	屋 (4)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	如六切
Baxter	nyuwk
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ȵɨuk̚/
Pan Wuyun	/ȵiuk̚/
Shao Rongfen	/ȵʑiuk̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ȵuwk̚/
Li Rong	/ȵiuk̚/
Wang Li	/ȵʑĭuk̚/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ȵʑi̯uk̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	rù
Expected Cantonese Reflex	juk6

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	肉
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	ròu
Middle Chinese	‹ nyuwk ›
Old Chinese	/*k.nuk/
English	meat, flesh
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	肉
Reading #	1/1
No.	10866
Phonetic component	肉
Rime group	覺
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	肉
Old Chinese	/*njuɡ/

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): ròu, rù (rou⁴, ru⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄖㄡˋ, ㄖㄨˋ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): rou⁴ / ru²

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): жу (řu, III)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): juk⁶

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): nguuk⁵ / nguuk^5-4

• Gan (Wiktionary): nyiuh⁶
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): ngiuk

  (Hailu, HRS): ngiug

  (Meixian, Guangdong): ngiug⁵

• Jin (Wiktionary): rou³ / rueh⁴
• Northern Min (KCR): nṳ̀
• Eastern Min (BUC): nṳ̆k
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): he̍k / hia̍k / jio̍k / lio̍k

  (Teochew, Peng'im): nêg⁸

  (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): hib⁸ / yiog⁴

• Wu (Northern, Wugniu): ⁸gnioq / ⁸zoq / ⁷gnioq / ⁶gnio
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): rou⁶

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese, standard in Mainland and Taiwan)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: ròu
    • Zhuyin: ㄖㄡˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ròu
    • Wade–Giles: jou⁴
    • Yale: ròu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: row
    • Palladius: жоу (žou)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʐoʊ̯⁵¹/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, variant)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: rù
    • Zhuyin: ㄖㄨˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: rù
    • Wade–Giles: ju⁴
    • Yale: rù
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ruh
    • Palladius: жу (žu)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʐu⁵¹/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: rou⁴ / ru²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: rhou / rhu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /zəu²¹³/, /zu²¹/

Note:

• rou4 - literary;
• ru2 - vernacular.

• • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: жу (řu, III)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʐou⁴⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: juk⁶
    • Yale: yuhk
    • Cantonese Pinyin: juk⁹
    • Guangdong Romanization: yug⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jʊk̚²/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: nguuk⁵ / nguuk^5-4
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ᵑɡɵk̚³²/, /ᵑɡɵk̚³²⁻²¹/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: nyiuh⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /n̠ʲiuʔ⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ngiuk
    • Hakka Romanization System: ngiug^ˋ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: ngiug⁵
    • Sinological IPA: /ŋi̯uk̚²/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: ngiug
    • Sinological IPA: /ŋiuk⁵/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: ngiug⁵
    • Sinological IPA: /ŋiʊk̚¹/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: rou³ / rueh⁴
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /ʐəu⁴⁵/, /ʐuəʔ²/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: nṳ̀
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ny⁴²/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: nṳ̆k
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /nˡyʔ⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: he̍k
    • Tâi-lô: hi̍k
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hek
    • IPA (Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /hiɪk̚⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Philippines)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hia̍k
    • Tâi-lô: hia̍k
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hiak
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Philippines): /hiak̚²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: jio̍k
    • Tâi-lô: jio̍k
    • Phofsit Daibuun: jiok
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /ziɔk̚⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /d͡ziɔk̚¹²¹/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Taipei, Philippines)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lio̍k
    • Tâi-lô: lio̍k
    • Phofsit Daibuun: liok
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Philippines): /liɔk̚²⁴/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Taipei): /liɔk̚⁴/
Note:
• he̍k/hia̍k - vernacular (“meat; pork; pulp; main part of an object”);
• jio̍k/lio̍k - literary.
• • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: nêg⁸
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: ne̍k
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /nek̚⁴/
  • (Leizhou)
    • Leizhou Pinyin: hib⁸ / yiog⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /hip̚²/, /ziɔk̚⁵/
Note:
• hib8 - vernacular;
• yiog4 - literary.
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai, Jiading, Songjiang, Chongming, Suzhou, Changzhou, Tongxiang, Haining, Haiyan, Shaoxing, Ningbo)
    • Wugniu: ⁸gnioq
    • MiniDict: nyoh^入
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ⁵nyioq
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /n̠ʲioʔ¹²/
    • Sinological IPA (Jiading): /n̠ʲioʔ¹²/
    • Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /n̠ʲioʔ²²/
    • Sinological IPA (Chongming): /ɦn̠ʲyoʔ²/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /n̠ʲioʔ²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /n̠ʲioʔ²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Tongxiang): /n̠ʲioʔ²²/
    • Sinological IPA (Haining): /n̠ʲioʔ²²/
    • Sinological IPA (Haiyan): /n̠ʲioʔ²²/
    • Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /n̠ʲioʔ²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /n̠ʲyoʔ¹²/
  • (Northern: Shanghai, Songjiang, Chongming, Suzhou, Haiyan, Hangzhou)
    • Wugniu: ⁸zoq
    • MiniDict: zoh^入
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ⁵zoq
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /zoʔ¹²/
    • Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /zoʔ²²/
    • Sinological IPA (Chongming): /szoʔ²/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /zoʔ²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Haiyan): /zoʔ²²/
    • Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /zoʔ²³/
  • (Northern: Chongming)
    • Wugniu: ⁷gnioq
    • MiniDict: nyoh^入
    • Sinological IPA (Chongming): /ʔn̠ʲyoʔ⁵/
  • (Northern: Shaoxing)
    • Wugniu: ⁶gnio
    • MiniDict: nyo^去
    • Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /n̠ʲio¹¹/
Note:
• ⁸gnioq - colloquial;
• ⁸zoq - high-register literary, rare in Shanghainese and Suzhounese;
• ⁷gnioq - Chongmingese, childish diminutive, see 肉肉;
• ⁶gnio - Shaoxingnese, see 肉豬.
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: rou⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʐəu̯²⁴/

---

• Dialectal data

---

• Middle Chinese: nyuwk

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*k.nuk/

  (Zhengzhang): /*njuɡ/

Definitions

肉

1. meat; flesh

   豬肉／猪肉  ―  zhūròu  ―  pork

   牛肉  ―  niúròu  ―  beef

   我從不吃肉。／我从不吃肉。  ―  Wǒ cóngbù chī ròu.  ―  I never eat meat.

   這種魚的肉異常鮮美。 [MSC, trad.]
   这种鱼的肉异常鲜美。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zhè zhǒng yú de ròu yìcháng xiānměi. [Pinyin]

   The flesh of this kind of fish has exceptional delicacy.

   不久，鬣狗便可飽餐一頓這些死了的動物的肉。 [MSC, trad.]
   不久，鬣狗便可饱餐一顿这些死了的动物的肉。 [MSC, simp.]

   Bùjiǔ, liègǒu biànkě bǎocānyīdùn zhèxiē sǐ le de dòngwù de ròu. [Pinyin]

   Soon, the hyenas could then feast on the flesh of these dead animals.

   • 斷竹，續竹，飛土，逐宍 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     断竹，续竹，飞土，逐宍 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 彈歌

     duàn zhú, xù zhú, fēi tǔ, zhú ròu [Pinyin]

     cut the bamboo, tie the bamboo [weapon], let fly the mud [bullets], pursue the meat

2. (specifically) pork

   肉三鮮的餃子／肉三鲜的饺子  ―  ròusānxiān de jiǎozi  ―  three delicious ingredient pork dumpling

   蒜薹炒肉  ―  suàntái chǎo ròu  ―  garlic chive and pork stir-fry

   肉骨 [Hokkien]  ―  hia̍k-kut [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  pork ribs

3. body

   肉體／肉体  ―  ròutǐ  ―  physical body

4. flesh; pulp

   這桃子肉味甜汁多。 [MSC, trad.]
   这桃子肉味甜汁多。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zhè táozi ròu wèi tián zhī duō. [Pinyin]

   The flesh of the peach was sweet and juicy.

5. (ACG) media; video

   生肉  ―  shēngròu  ―  raws (not fansubbed videos or clips)

   熟肉  ―  shúròu  ―  localized, subbed, or dubbed media

   烤肉  ―  kǎoròu  ―  localized, subbed, or dubbed media, with detailed effects

6. (Quanzhou Hokkien) main part of an object

   刀肉 [Hokkien]  ―  to-hia̍k [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  blade of a knife or sword

Compounds

• 一塊肉 / 一块肉
• 丁祭肉
• 三淨肉 / 三净肉
• 不做肉
• 五花肉 (wǔhuāròu)
• 人肉市場 / 人肉市场 (rénròu shìchǎng)
• 仔牛肉 (zǎiniúròu)
• 以肉餧虎 / 以肉喂虎
• 伏肉
• 俎上肉 (zǔshàngròu)
• 凡夫肉眼
• 刀肉
• 剜肉補瘡 / 剜肉补疮
• 剜肉醫瘡 / 剜肉医疮
• 割肉 (gēròu)
• 劗肉 / 𭄛肉
• 咕咾肉 (gūlǎoròu)
• 墦間酒肉 / 墦间酒肉
• 大腸息肉 / 大肠息肉
• 大魚大肉 / 大鱼大肉 (dàyúdàròu)
• 天鵝肉 / 天鹅肉
• 好酒好肉
• 嬌皮嫩肉 / 娇皮嫩肉
• 寢皮食肉 / 寝皮食肉
• 小肉兒 / 小肉儿
• 小鮮肉 / 小鲜肉 (xiǎoxiānròu)
• 弱肉強食 / 弱肉强食 (ruòròuqiángshí)
• 心肝肉
• 心頭肉 / 心头肉 (xīntóuròu)
• 心驚肉戰 / 心惊肉战
• 心驚肉跳 / 心惊肉跳 (xīnjīngròutiào)
• 心驚肉顫 / 心惊肉颤
• 息肉 (xīròu)
• 愚眉肉眼
• 挖肉補瘡 / 挖肉补疮
• 掠脂斡肉
• 晚食當肉 / 晚食当肉
• 有血有肉 (yǒuxuèyǒuròu)
• 東坡肉 / 东坡肉 (dōngpōròu)
• 果肉 (guǒròu)
• 槁骨腐肉
• 橫肉 / 横肉 (héngròu)
• 涮羊肉
• 滷肉 / 卤肉 (lǔròu)
• 漿酒藿肉 / 浆酒藿肉
• 漿酒霍肉 / 浆酒霍肉
• 烤肉 (kǎoròu)
• 燒肉 / 烧肉 (shāoròu)
• 燔肉
• 燻肉 / 熏肉 (xūnròu)
• 牛肉 (niúròu)
• 狗肉 (gǒuròu)
• 狼多肉少 (lángduōròushǎo)
• 生死肉骨
• 療瘡剜肉 / 疗疮剜肉
• 白切肉
• 白肉 (báiròu)
• 皮嬌肉嫩 / 皮娇肉嫩
• 皮焦肉爛 / 皮焦肉烂
• 皮肉 (píròu)
• 皮裡抽肉 / 皮里抽肉
• 皮裡走肉 / 皮里走肉
• 皮開肉破 / 皮开肉破
• 皮開肉綻 / 皮开肉绽 (píkāiròuzhàn)
• 皮開肉裂 / 皮开肉裂
• 皮鬆肉緊 / 皮松肉紧
• 眼肉胎凡
• 砧上之肉
• 破肉
• 碎肉 (suìròu)
• 稽顙肉袒 / 稽颡肉袒
• 竹肉
• 筋肉 (jīnròu)
• 米粉肉 (mǐfěnròu)
• 粉蒸肉 (fěnzhēngròu)
• 粱肉
• 精肉 (jīngròu)
• 羊肉床子
• 羊頭狗肉 / 羊头狗肉 (yángtóugǒuròu)
• 羶肉
• 羽翮飛肉 / 羽翮飞肉
• 肉丁 (ròudīng)
• 肉中刺
• 肉丸 (ròuwán)
• 肉乎乎
• 肉乾 / 肉干 (ròugān)
• 肉人
• 肉傀儡
• 肉冠 (ròuguān)
• 肉刑 (ròuxíng)
• 肉包子 (ròubāozi)
• 肉包子打狗 (ròubāozi dǎ gǒu)
• 肉吊窗
• 肉呼呼
• 肉嘟嘟 (ròudūdū)
• 肉囊囊
• 肉圓 / 肉圆 (ròuyuán)
• 肉墩墩
• 肉屋
• 肉山
• 肉山脯林
• 肉山酒海
• 肉彈 / 肉弹 (ròudàn)
• 肉感 (ròugǎn)
• 肉慾 / 肉欲 (ròuyù)
• 肉排 (ròupái)
• 肉搏 (ròubó)
• 肉搏戰 / 肉搏战 (ròubózhàn)
• 肉敦敦
• 肉柱
• 肉桂 (ròuguì)
• 肉案 (ròu'àn)
• 肉棗兒 / 肉枣儿
• 肉毒桿菌 / 肉毒杆菌 (ròudúgǎnjūn)
• 肉沫
• 肉湯 / 肉汤 (ròutāng)
• 肉燥 (ròusào)
• 肉牛 (ròuniú)
• 肉用雞 / 肉用鸡 (ròuyòngjī)
• 肉畜
• 肉痛 (ròutòng)
• 肉瘤 (ròuliú)
• 肉皮 (ròupí)
• 肉眼 (ròuyǎn)
• 肉眼凡夫
• 肉眼凡胎
• 肉眼愚晦
• 肉眼愚眉
• 肉眼泡兒 / 肉眼泡儿
• 肉票 (ròupiào)
• 肉禽 (ròuqín)
• 肉穗花序
• 肉粽 (ròuzòng)
• 肉紅 / 肉红
• 肉絲 / 肉丝 (ròusī)
• 肉綻皮開 / 肉绽皮开
• 肉羹 (ròugēng)
• 肉聲 / 肉声 (ròushēng)
• 肉脯 (ròufǔ)
• 肉腰刀
• 肉色 (ròusè)
• 肉芽 (ròuyá)
• 肉芝
• 肉蓯蓉 / 肉苁蓉 (ròucōngróng)
• 肉袒 (ròutǎn)
• 肉裡錢 / 肉里钱
• 肉角
• 肉豆蔻 (ròudòukòu)
• 肉豬 / 肉猪 (ròuzhū)
• 肉質 / 肉质 (ròuzhì)
• 肉跳心驚 / 肉跳心惊
• 肉身 (ròushēn)
• 肉邊菜 / 肉边菜
• 肉酥 (ròusū)
• 肉醬 / 肉酱 (ròujiàng)
• 肉重千斤
• 肉雞 / 肉鸡 (ròujī)
• 肉頭 / 肉头
• 肉顫心驚 / 肉颤心惊 (ròu chàn xīn jīng)
• 肉飛仙 / 肉飞仙
• 肉食 (ròushí)
• 肉食者 (ròushízhě)
• 肉食者鄙 (ròushízhěbǐ)
• 肉食鴿 / 肉食鸽
• 肉餅 / 肉饼 (ròubǐng)
• 肉餡 / 肉馅 (ròuxiàn)
• 肉餡兒 / 肉馅儿
• 肉體 / 肉体 (ròutǐ)
• 肉鬆 / 肉松 (ròusōng)
• 肉鰭 / 肉鳍
• 肉鴿 / 肉鸽
• 肉麻 (ròumá)
• 肌肉 (jīròu)
• 肌肉注射 (jīròu zhùshè)
• 肌肉麻痺 / 肌肉麻痹
• 肥羊肉
• 肥肉 (féiròu)
• 胙肉
• 脈不制肉 / 脉不制肉
• 脢子肉
• 腐肉 (fǔròu)
• 臘肉 / 腊肉 (làròu)
• 臭肉來蠅 / 臭肉来蝇
• 至親骨肉 / 至亲骨肉
• 苦肉計 / 苦肉计 (kǔròujì)
• 荷葉肉 / 荷叶肉
• 著肉
• 葉肉 / 叶肉 (yèròu)
• 虎頭食肉 / 虎头食肉
• 血肉 (xuèròu)
• 血肉之軀 / 血肉之躯 (xuèròuzhīqū)
• 血肉模糊 (xuèròumóhú)
• 血肉橫飛 / 血肉横飞 (xuèròuhéngfēi)
• 血肉淋漓
• 血肉相連 / 血肉相连 (xuèròuxiānglián)
• 行尸走肉 (xíngshīzǒuròu)
• 行屍視肉 / 行尸视肉
• 衣帛食肉
• 衣錦食肉 / 衣锦食肉
• 裡脊肉 / 里脊肉
• 見肉生根 / 见肉生根
• 親生骨肉 / 亲生骨肉
• 親骨肉 / 亲骨肉 (qīngǔròu)
• 豆腐盤成肉價錢 / 豆腐盘成肉价钱 (dòufu pán chéng ròu jiàqián)
• 豬肉乾 / 猪肉干
• 貼皮貼肉 / 贴皮贴肉
• 貼肉 / 贴肉
• 賊肉 / 贼肉
• 賴肉頑皮 / 赖肉顽皮
• 贅肉 / 赘肉 (zhuìròu)
• 走肉行屍 / 走肉行尸 (zǒuròuxíngshī)
• 酒池肉林 (jiǔchíròulín)
• 酒肉兄弟
• 酒肉朋友
• 醃肉 / 腌肉
• 陳平分肉 / 陈平分肉
• 雞肉 / 鸡肉 (jīròu)
• 電宰豬肉 / 电宰猪肉
• 靈肉 / 灵肉 (língròu)
• 靠胸貼肉 / 靠胸贴肉
• 風肉 / 风肉 (fēngròu)
• 飛土逐肉 / 飞土逐肉
• 食不異肉 / 食不异肉
• 食不重肉
• 食肉寢皮 / 食肉寝皮 (shíròuqǐnpí)
• 香肉 (xiāngròu)
• 骨肉 (gǔròu)
• 骨顫肉驚 / 骨颤肉惊
• 骨騰肉飛 / 骨腾肉飞
• 髀肉
• 髀肉復生 / 髀肉复生 (bìròufùshēng)
• 魚肉 / 鱼肉 (yúròu)
• 鮓肉 / 鲊肉
• 鮮肉 / 鲜肉 (xiānròu)

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (肉):

• → Japanese: 肉(にく) (niku)
• → Korean: 육(肉) (yuk)
• → Vietnamese: nhục (肉)

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): ròu (rou⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄖㄡˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jau⁶

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: ròu
    • Zhuyin: ㄖㄡˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: ròu
    • Wade–Giles: jou⁴
    • Yale: ròu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: row
    • Palladius: жоу (žou)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʐoʊ̯⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: jau⁶
    • Yale: yauh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jau⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: yeo⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɐu̯²²/

Definitions

肉

1. (archaic) edge; brim; an outer part of a ring-shaped object (such as coin or jade annulus)

   • 肉倍好謂之璧 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     肉倍好谓之璧 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Erya, 5^th – 2^nd century BCE

     ròu bèi hǎo wèi zhī bì [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

2. (archaic, of sound and music) rich; substantial

   • 使其曲直繁瘠，廉肉節奏，足以感動人之善心而已矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     使其曲直繁瘠，廉肉节奏，足以感动人之善心而已矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Shǐ qí qūzhí fánjí, liánròu jiézòu, zúyǐ gǎndòng rén zhī shànxīn ér yǐyǐ. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

3. (dialectal Mandarin) spongy; squashy; flabby

   這西瓜瓤兒太肉了。 [MSC, trad.]
   这西瓜瓤儿太肉了。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zhè xīguā rángr tài ròu le. [Pinyin]

   The pulp of this watermelon is too spongy.

4. (dialectal Mandarin) slow; sluggish

   這個人做事真肉。 [MSC, trad.]
   这个人做事真肉。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zhè ge rén zuòshì zhēn ròu. [Pinyin]

   This person does everything sluggishly.

Compounds

• 廉肉
• 肉好

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (肉):

• → Japanese: 肉(じゅう) (jū)
• → Korean: 유(肉) (yu)

Etymology 3

simp. and trad.		肉
alternative forms		脈／脉 𬁲

Unclear. Reminiscent of 脢 (OC *mɯːs, *mɯː, *mɯːs, “dorsal meat”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Alternatively, it may be of substrate origin. Compare (Deng, 1994):

• Proto-Austronesian *SimaR (“grease; oil; fat”) > Amis simal;
• Proto-Tai *manᴬ (“grease; fat”) > Thai มัน (man);
• Malay gemuk (“fat”, adjective);
• Bunun masmuh (“fat”, adjective);
• Tsat maʔ˥˧ (“fat”, adjective).

Pronunciation

• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): bah / mah

  (Teochew, Peng'im): bhah⁴

---

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Tong'an, General Taiwanese, Kinmen, Singapore, Penang, Philippines)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: bah
    • Tâi-lô: bah
    • Phofsit Daibuun: baq
    • IPA (Penang): /baʔ³/
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Philippines): /baʔ⁵/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Tong'an, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Kinmen, Singapore): /baʔ³²/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Philippines)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: mah
    • Tâi-lô: mah
    • Phofsit Daibuun: maq
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /mãʔ⁵/
    • IPA (Philippines): /maʔ⁵/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: bhah⁴
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: bah
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /baʔ²/

Note: chiefly overseas.

Definitions

肉 (Hokkien, Teochew)

1. meat; flesh

   豬肉／猪肉 [Hokkien]  ―  ti-bah [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  pork

   牛肉 [Hokkien]  ―  gû-bah [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  beef

2. (specifically) pork

   肉骨 [Hokkien]  ―  bah-kut [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  pork ribs

3. flesh; pulp

   龍眼乾肉／龙眼干肉 [Hokkien]  ―  lêng-géng-koaⁿ bah [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  flesh of dried longan

4. main part of an object

   刀肉 [Hokkien]  ―  to-bah [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  blade of a knife or sword

Further reading

• “肉”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育部異體字字典), A03288
• “肉”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.
• (Cantonese) 粵音資料集叢
• zi.tools

Japanese

Shinjitai	肉
Kyūjitai [1][2][3]	肉󠄁 肉+󠄁? (Adobe-Japan1)
The displayed kanji may be different from the image due to your environment. See here for details.

Kanji

See also:

Category:Japanese terms spelled with 肉

肉

(Second grade kyōiku kanji)

1. flesh, meat

Readings

• Go-on: にく (niku, Jōyō)^{←にく (niku, historical)}
• Kan-on: じく (jiku)^{←じく (ziku, historical)}
• Kun: しし (shishi, 肉)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
肉
しし Grade: 2
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
宍

From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *sisi. Not used in isolation in modern standard Japanese. Persists in compounds and in some dialects.

Cognate with 獣 (shishi, “beast, especially one used for meat”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) しし [shíꜜshì] (Atamadaka – [1])^[4][5]
• IPA^(key): [ɕiɕi]

Noun

肉(しし) • (shishi) 

1. [from 712–1682] (archaic, possibly obsolete or dialect, Aomori, Fukushima, Nara, Kagoshima) meat (of boars, pigs, deer, etc.)
2. [from 712–1682] (archaic, possibly obsolete) human flesh
3. (dialect, Iwate, Niigata, Shizuoka, Toyama) muscle
4. (dialect, Toyama) excess fat, flab
5. (dialect, Kochi) the human body

Derived terms

• 肉(しし)合(あ)い (shishiai): how someone or something is fleshed out, one's build
• 肉(しし)置(お)き (shishioki): how someone or something is fleshed out, one's build
• 肉(しし)付(つ)き (shishitsuki): how someone or something is fleshed out, one's build
• 肉(しし)付(づ)く (shishizuku): to become fatter, to become meatier; to make someone or something fatter or meatier
• 肉(しし)醤(びしお) (shishibishio): salted meat, salted fish; the salted and mummified body of an executed person, a practice of punishment carried out in ancient China
• 肉(しし)骨(ぼね) (shishibone): bones from which the meat has been removed; a skeleton
• 肉(しし)叢(むら) (shishimura): a cut or hunk of meat; the physical or corporeal body, the flesh
• 肉(しし)病(やみ) (shishiyami): (rare) obesity, a disease whereby the body becomes fat

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
肉
にく Grade: 2
goon

From Middle Chinese 肉 (MC nyuwk). Compare modern Hokkien 肉 (jio̍k / lio̍k), Teochew 肉 (ne̍k), or Hakka 肉 (ngiuk⁷).

Alternative forms

• (honorific) お肉(にく) (o-niku)

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) にく [nìkúꜜ] (Odaka – [2])^[6][5][7]
• IPA^(key): [ɲ̟ikɯ̟]

Noun

肉(にく) • (niku) 

1. meat, the muscle and fat tissue of an animal used as food
   • (Can we date this quote?), 一九二九年一月——二月‎:

     この肉(にく)上(あ)げましょうか、食(た)べたくなる程(ほど)美味(おい)しい肉(にく)ですよ

     kono niku agemashō ka, tabetakunaru hodo oishī niku desuyo

     Should I give this meat [to someone else]? I want to eat them so much because this meat is just so good!

2. the flesh of an animal
3. the flesh of a fruit or vegetable
4. one's body, as opposed to spirit
5. (Kansai) a woman not part of the demimonde who engaged in secret, unlicensed prostitution

   See also: Thesaurus:娼婦

6. (Christianity) refers to humans themselves, their world, and their sins, as opposed to their spirit
7. the thickness of a thing

   板(いた)の肉(にく)

   ita no niku

   the thickness of a board

8. (figurative) the flesh or meat of something, such as an idea, structure, or argument

   議(ぎ)論(ろん)に肉(にく)をつける

   giron ni niku o tsukeru

   to put some meat on an argument, to flesh out an argument

9. an ink pad, a stamp pad
10. (theater, kabuki) short for 肉襦袢 (niku juban): flesh-toned undergarments worn by actors and shown when the character has to display their skin

Synonyms

• (fruit or vegetable flesh): 実(み) (mi)
• (body): 肉(にく)体(たい) (nikutai)
• (thickness): 厚(あつ)さ (atsusa), 太(ふと)さ (futosa)
• (ink pad): 印(いん)肉(にく) (inniku)

Derived terms

• 肉(にく)交(こう) (nikukō): sexual intercourse
• 肉(にく)羹(こう) (nikukō): meat broth
• 肉(にく)汁(じゅう) (nikujū): meat broth; meat juice; gravy
• 肉(にく)漿(しょう) (nikushō): meat juice
• 肉(にく)団(だん)子(ご) (nikudango): meatball
• 肉(にく)饅(まん) (nikuman): nikuman
• 肉(にく)饅(まん)頭(じゅう) (nikumanjū): nikuman
• 肉(にく)類(るい) (nikurui): a kind of meat, the sort of meat
• 牛(ぎゅう)肉(にく) (gyūniku): beef
• 筋(きん)肉(にく) (kinniku): muscle
• 狗(く)肉(にく) (kuniku): dog meat
• 鶏(けい)肉(にく) (keiniku), 鶏(とり)肉(にく) (toriniku): chicken (meat)
• 鯨(げい)肉(にく) (geiniku): whale meat
• すじ肉(にく) (sujiniku)
• 鳥(とり)肉(にく) (toriniku): meat of a bird, in particular meat of a chicken
• 馬(ば)肉(にく) (baniku): horsemeat
• 豚(ぶた)肉(にく) (butaniku), 豚(とん)肉(にく) (tonniku): pork
• 挽(ひき)肉(にく) (hikiniku): minced meat, ground meat
• 羊(よう)肉(にく) (yōniku): mutton

References

1. 白川静 (Shirakawa Shizuka) (2014) “肉”, in 字通 (Jitsū)‎ (in Japanese), popular edition, Tōkyō: Heibonsha, →ISBN
2. Haga, Gōtarō (1914) 漢和大辞書 [The Great Kanji-Japanese Dictionary] (in Japanese), Fourth edition, Tōkyō: Kōbunsha, →DOI, page 1741 (paper), page 922 (digital)
3. Shōundō Henshūjo, editor (1927), 新漢和辞典 [The New Kanji-Japanese Dictionary] (in Japanese), Ōsaka: Shōundō, →DOI, page 984 (paper), page 505 (digital)
4. “しし 【肉・宍】”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎ (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000-2002, released online 2007, →ISBN, concise edition entry available here
5. Yamada, Tadao et al., editors (2011), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Seventh edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
6. Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
7. NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN

Korean

Hanja

肉 (eumhun 고기 육 (gogi yuk))

1. hanja form^? of 육 (“meat, flesh”)

Vietnamese

Han character

肉: Hán Nôm readings: nhục^[1], nậu, nhụ

1. (only in compounds) chữ Hán form of nhục (“flesh”).

Derived terms

• 肉刑 (nhục hình)
• 肉慾 (nhục dục)
• 肉眼難知 (nhục nhãn nan tri)
• 肉豆蔻 (nhục đậu khấu)
• 肉體 (nhục thể)
• 苦肉計 (khổ nhục kế)
• 骨肉 (cốt nhục)

References

1. Trần (1999).

• Dự án Từ điển tiếng Việt miễn phí