(にく)

にく
noun
meat, flesh
1. meat
Animal flesh used as food.
(にく)()く。
To grill meat.
焼肉(やきにく)()べに()きませんか。
Shall we go eat grilled meat?
牛肉(ぎゅうにく)豚肉(ぶたにく)、どちらが()きですか。
Which do you prefer, beef or pork?
この(みせ)(にく)はとても(やわ)らかくて美味(おい)しいと有名(ゆうめい)だ。
This restaurant is famous for its tender and delicious meat.
日本(にほん)では焼肉(やきにく)やすき()きなど色々(いろいろ)肉料理(にくりょうり)があって、季節(きせつ)ごとに(たの)しめる。
In Japan, there are many kinds of meat dishes like grilled meat and sukiyaki that can be enjoyed in every season.
2. flesh
The soft tissue of the body.
(にく)()ちた。
I lost flesh.
運動(うんどう)筋肉(きんにく)がついた。
I built muscle through exercise.
(とし)()ると(からだ)(にく)()ちやすくなる。
As you get older, you tend to lose body mass more easily.
(きず)部分(ぶぶん)(にく)()()がってきて、だいぶ()くなってきた。
The flesh around the wound has started to grow back, and it's getting much better.
毎日(まいにち)(はし)ったり(およ)いだりして(からだ)(うご)かしていたら、(うで)(あし)筋肉(きんにく)がしっかりついてきた。
Since I've been running and swimming every day to stay active, my arms and legs have become much more muscular.

(にく) refers to meat (for food) or flesh (body tissue).

TYPES OF MEAT:

  • 牛肉(ぎゅうにく): beef
  • 豚肉(ぶたにく): pork
  • 鶏肉(とりにく)/鳥肉(とりにく): chicken
  • 羊肉(ようにく): lamb, mutton
  • 馬肉(ばにく): horse meat

COMMON COMPOUNDS:

  • 焼肉(やきにく): grilled meat (Korean-style BBQ)
  • 肉屋(にくや): butcher shop
  • 筋肉(きんにく): muscle
  • 肉料理(にくりょうり): meat dishes
  • ひき(にく): ground meat

USAGE NOTE:
When used alone, (にく) often defaults to beef or pork depending on context. In casual speech, people may say お(にく) with the polite prefix.