肉(にく)

にく
noun
meat, flesh
food
1. meat
Animal flesh used as food.
肉(にく)を焼(や)く。
To grill meat.
焼肉(やきにく)を食(た)べに行(い)きませんか。
Shall we go eat grilled meat?
牛肉(ぎゅうにく)と豚肉(ぶたにく)、どちらが好(す)きですか。
Which do you prefer, beef or pork?
この店(みせ)の肉(にく)はとても柔(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)やすき焼(や)きなど色々(いろいろ)な肉料理(にくりょうり)があって、季節(きせつ)ごとに楽(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.
肉(にく)が落(お)ちた。
I've lost flesh (gotten thinner).
運動(うんどう)で筋肉(きんにく)がついた。
I built muscle through exercise.
歳(とし)を取(と)ると体(からだ)の肉(にく)が落(お)ちやすくなる。
As you get older, you tend to lose flesh from your body more easily.
傷(きず)の部分(ぶぶん)の肉(にく)が盛(も)り上(あ)がってきて、だいぶ良(よ)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)走(はし)ったり泳(およ)いだりして体(からだ)を動(うご)かしていたら、腕(うで)や足(あし)の筋肉(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.

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

Types of meat

Compounds

Usage

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

Related Words

Related: 牛肉(ぎゅうにく) (beef)
Related: 豚肉(ぶたにく) (pork)
Related: 鶏肉(とりにく) (chicken)
Related: 筋肉(きんにく) (muscle)
Related: 肉屋(にくや) (butcher shop)
basic
Added 2026.1.9 21:23 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:29
02000/02240_niku