洋

音読おんよみ: ヨウ

訓読くんよみ: none *

画数かくすう: 9 strokes

部首ぶしゅ: 氵（さんずい）

Meaning

Ocean / Foreign / Western

  • 洋風ようふう — Western style
  • 大平洋たいへいよう — Pacific ocean
  • 洋服ようふく — Western clothes
  • 洋食ようしょく — Western food

The radical 氵 represents water, and the right side (羊) hints at phonetic sound. Originally, 洋 referred to the vast sea. Over time, it took on the meaning of “Western,” reflecting Japan’s view of the ocean as the gateway to foreign lands.

洋服ようふくを買かいにいきました。
I went shopping for Western clothes.

洋食ようしょくと和食わしょく、どちらが好すきですか？
Do you prefer Western food or Japanese food?

服
Creates
洋服ようふく — Western clothes
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