# 肉

| 肉 | U+8089, &#32905; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-8089 |
| ← 肈 [U+8088] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 肊 → [U+808A] |
| ⾁ | U+2F81, &#12161; KANGXI RADICAL MEAT |
| ← ⾀ [U+2F80] | Kangxi Radicals | ⾂ → [U+2F82] |

## Translingual
### 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

肉 (Kangxi radical 130, 肉+0, 6 strokes, cangjie input 人月人 (OBO), four-corner 4022$_7$, composition ⿵内人 or ⿻冂仌)
* 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
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 肉 :
| Shang | Western Zhou | Warring States | 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 |
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 from 生肉 (shēngròu). See there for more.

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): ròu, rù (rou$^4$, ru$^4$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄖㄡˋ, ㄖㄨˋ
    (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): rou$^4$ / ru$^2$
    (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): жу (řu, III)
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): juk$^6$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): nguuk$^5$ / nguuk$^{5-4}$
* Gan (Wiktionary): nyiuh$^6$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): ngiuk
    (Hailu, HRS): ngiug
    (Meixian, Guangdong): ngiug$^5$
* Jin (Wiktionary): rou$^3$ / rueh$^4$
* Northern Min (KCR): nṳ̀
* Eastern Min (BUC): nṳ̆k
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): he̍k / hia̍k / jio̍k / lio̍k
    (Teochew, Peng'im): nêg$^8$
    (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): hib$^8$ / yiog$^4$
* Wu (Northern, Wugniu): $^8$gnioq / $^8$zoq / $^7$gnioq / $^6$gnio
* Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): rou$^6$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese, standard in Mainland and Taiwan)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: ròu
*** Zhuyin: ㄖㄡˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: ròu
*** Wade–Giles: jou$^4$
*** Yale: ròu
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: row
*** Palladius: жоу (žou)
*** Sinological IPA : /ʐoʊ̯⁵¹/
** (Standard Chinese, variant)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: rù
*** Zhuyin: ㄖㄨˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: rù
*** Wade–Giles: ju$^4$
*** Yale: rù
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ruh
*** Palladius: жу (žu)
*** Sinological IPA : /ʐu⁵¹/
** (Chengdu)
*** Sichuanese Pinyin: rou$^4$ / ru$^2$
*** Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: rhou / rhu
*** Sinological IPA : /zəu²¹³/, /zu²¹/
* rou4 - literary;
* ru2 - vernacular.
* Dialectal data
| Variety | Location | edit肉 |
| Mandarin | Beijing | /ʐou⁵¹/ |
| Mandarin | Harbin | /ʐou⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Tianjin | /iou⁵³/ /ʐou⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Jinan | /ʐou²¹/ |
| Mandarin | Qingdao | /iou⁴²/ |
| Mandarin | Zhengzhou | /ʐou³¹²/ |
| Mandarin | Xi'an | /ʐou⁴⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Xining | /ʐɯ²¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Yinchuan | /ʐəu¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Lanzhou | /ʐou¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Ürümqi | /ʐɤu²¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Wuhan | /nəu²¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Chengdu | /zu³¹/ /zəu¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Guiyang | /zu²¹/ |
| Mandarin | Kunming | /ʐəu²¹²/ /ʐu³¹/ |
| Mandarin | Nanjing | /ʐəɯ⁴⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Hefei | /ʐɯ⁵³/ |
| Jin | Taiyuan | /zəu⁴⁵/ 豬～ /zuəʔ²/ ～桂 |
| Jin | Pingyao | /ʐəu³⁵/ |
| Jin | Hohhot | /ʐəu⁵⁵/ |
| Wu | Shanghai | /ȵioʔ¹/ |
| Wu | Suzhou | /ȵioʔ³/ |
| Wu | Hangzhou | /zoʔ²/ |
| Wu | Wenzhou | /ȵɤu²¹³/ |
| Hui | Shexian | /niu²²/ |
| Hui | Tunxi | /ȵiu¹¹/ |
| Xiang | Changsha | /ʐəu²⁴/ |
| Xiang | Xiangtan | /iəɯ²⁴/ |
| Gan | Nanchang | /ȵiuʔ⁵/ |
| Hakka | Meixian | /ŋiuk̚¹/ |
| Hakka | Taoyuan | /ŋiuk̚²²/ |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | /jok̚²/ |
| Cantonese | Nanning | /juk̚²²/ |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | /jʊk̚²/ |
| Min | Xiamen (Hokkien) | /liɔk̚⁵/ /hik̚⁵/ |
| Min | Fuzhou (Eastern Min) | /nyʔ⁵/ |
| Min | Jian'ou (Northern Min) | /ny⁴²/ |
| Min | Shantou (Teochew) | /nek̚⁵/ |
| Min | Haikou (Hainanese) | /hiɔk̚³/ |
* Middle Chinese: nyuwk
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 | juk$^6$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*k.nuk/
    (Zhengzhang): /*njuɡ/
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/ |

#### Definitions

肉
* 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.
       Zhè zhǒng yú de ròu yìcháng xiānměi. [Pinyin]
       The flesh of this kind of fish has exceptional delicacy.
       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.
    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
* (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
* body
    肉體／肉体 ― ròutǐ ― physical body
* flesh; pulp
       Zhè táozi ròu wèi tián zhī duō. [Pinyin]
       The flesh of the peach was sweet and juicy.
* (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
* (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

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

### Etymology 2
#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): ròu (rou$^4$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄖㄡˋ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): jau$^6$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: ròu
*** Zhuyin: ㄖㄡˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: ròu
*** Wade–Giles: jou$^4$
*** Yale: ròu
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: row
*** Palladius: жоу (žou)
*** Sinological IPA : /ʐoʊ̯⁵¹/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: jau$^6$
*** Yale: yauh
*** Cantonese Pinyin: jau$^6$
*** Guangdong Romanization: yeo$^6$
*** Sinological IPA : /jɐu̯²²/

#### Definitions

肉
* (archaic) edge; brim; an outer part of a ring-shaped object (such as coin or jade annulus)
    From: Erya, 5th – 2nd century BCE
    ròu bèi hǎo wèi zhī bì [Pinyin]
    (please add an English translation of this usage example)
* (archaic, of sound and music) rich; substantial
    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)
* (dialectal Mandarin) spongy; squashy; flabby
       Zhè xīguā rángr tài ròu le. [Pinyin]
       The pulp of this watermelon is too spongy.
* (dialectal Mandarin) slow; sluggish
       Zhè ge rén zuòshì zhēn ròu. [Pinyin]
       This person does everything sluggishly.

#### Compounds

* 廉肉
* 肉好

#### Descendants

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

### Etymology 3

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): bhah$^4$
* 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: bhah$^4$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: bah
*** Sinological IPA : /baʔ²/

#### Definitions

肉 (Hokkien, Teochew)
* meat; flesh
    豬肉／猪肉 [Hokkien] ― ti-bah [Pe̍h-ōe-jī] ― pork
    牛肉 [Hokkien] ― gû-bah [Pe̍h-ōe-jī] ― beef
* (specifically) pork
    肉骨 [Hokkien] ― bah-kut [Pe̍h-ōe-jī] ― pork ribs
* flesh; pulp
    龍眼乾肉／龙眼干肉 [Hokkien] ― lêng-géng-koaⁿ bah [Pe̍h-ōe-jī] ― flesh of dried longan
* 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
* “Entry #2607”, 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 | 肉󠄁 肉+&#xE0101; (Adobe-Japan1) |
| The displayed kanji may be different from the image due to your environment. See here for details. |||

### Kanji

(Second grade kyōiku kanji)
* flesh, meat

#### Readings

* Go-on: にく (niku, Jōyō)
* Kan-on: じく (jiku)
* 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])
* IPA: [ɕiɕi]

#### Noun

肉(しし) • (shishi)
* [from 712–1682] (archaic, possibly obsolete or dialect, Aomori, Fukushima, Nara, Kagoshima) meat (of boars, pigs, deer, etc.)
* [from 712–1682] (archaic, possibly obsolete) human flesh
* (dialect, Iwate, Niigata, Shizuoka, Toyama) muscle
* (dialect, Toyama) excess fat, flab
* (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 (ngiuk$^7$).

#### Alternative forms

* (honorific) お肉(にく) (o-niku)

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) にく [nìkúꜜ] (Odaka – [2])
* IPA: [ɲ̟ikɯ̟]

#### Noun

肉(にく) • (niku)
* 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!
* the flesh of an animal
* the flesh of a fruit or vegetable
* one's body, as opposed to spirit
* (Kansai) a woman not part of the demimonde who engaged in secret, unlicensed prostitution
    See also: Thesaurus:娼婦
* (Christianity) refers to humans themselves, their world, and their sins, as opposed to their spirit
* the thickness of a thing
    板(いた)の肉(にく)
       ita no niku
       the thickness of a board
* (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
* an ink pad, a stamp pad
* (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

* ↑ 白川静 (Shirakawa Shizuka) (2014) “肉”, in 字通 (Jitsū)‎ (in Japanese), popular edition, Tōkyō: Heibonsha, →ISBN
* ↑ 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)
* ↑ 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)
* ↑ “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
* 1 2 Yamada, Tadao et al., editors (2011), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Seventh edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
* ↑ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
* ↑ 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))
* hanja form of 육 (“meat, flesh”)

## Vietnamese
### Han character

肉: Hán Nôm readings: nhục, nậu, nhụ
* (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

* ↑ Trần (1999).
* Dự án Từ điển tiếng Việt miễn phí