1. Overview of Meaning
The kanji “雌” (pronounced “shi” or “mesu”) means “female” or “feminine.” It is often used to refer to female animals or to denote femininity in general.
2. Formation and Radical
Formation of the Kanji: The kanji “雌” is a phonetic-ideographic character (形声文字). It combines the radical for “cloud” (雨) with a phonetic component that suggests its pronunciation.
Radical: The radical of “雌” is “雨” (meaning “rain” or “cloud”), which is often associated with weather or nature.
3. Examples of Usage
Common Words and Phrases: Some common words that include “雌” are “雌犬” (female dog) and “雌鳥” (female bird).
Example Sentences in Daily Conversation:
- この雌犬はとても優しいです。 (This female dog is very gentle.)
- 雌鳥は美しい羽を持っています。 (The female bird has beautiful feathers.)
4. Synonyms and Antonyms
Similar Kanji: A similar kanji is “雄” (pronounced “yuu” or “osu”), which means “male” or “masculine.” The difference lies in gender, with “雌” referring to females and “雄” to males.
Opposite Kanji: The opposite of “雌” is “雄,” as they represent the two genders in animals and humans.
5. Cultural and Historical Background
Relation to Japanese Culture: In Japanese culture, the distinction between male and female is significant, especially in traditional contexts such as animal husbandry and folklore.
Proverbs and Idioms: There are various proverbs that highlight the roles of males and females, such as “雌雄を決する” (to decide between male and female), which means to determine a winner or to make a choice between two options.