Meaning
The kanji 脂 (し, あぶら, やに) primarily refers to fat, grease, tallow, or lard. It describes fatty substances found in living organisms, especially animals, but can also extend to certain plant oils or even resin. While often associated with culinary contexts, you'll also encounter it in scientific and medical terms related to lipids.
Understanding its etymology reveals its core meaning. 脂 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left-hand radical, 月 (にくづき), is a variant of 肉 (にく), meaning “meat” or “flesh.” You'll frequently see this radical in kanji related to body parts or biological substances. The right-hand component, 旨 (し), serves as the phonetic element, giving the kanji its On'yomi reading of シ. Interestingly, 旨 also carries the meaning of “delicious,” “excellent,” or “essence.” Thus, the kanji visually represents the “delicious” or “essential” part of “meat” or “flesh,” which culturally often refers to the rich, flavorful fat within. This combination beautifully captures the idea of animal fat as a desirable and substantive component.
The kanji 脂 has a total of 10 strokes. As an N2-level kanji, it is included in the Jōyō Kanji (常用漢字) list. However, it isn't typically taught in elementary school. Instead, it falls into the category of general-use kanji learned later in one's Japanese language education.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The primary On'yomi reading for 脂 is シ (shi). You'll primarily find this reading in compound words, often in scientific, formal, or general classification contexts, especially when discussing lipids or broader categories of fats and oils.
- 脂肪 (shibō) — Means body fat or fat in a general biological or dietary sense. It's a common term in health and nutrition discussions.
Example: 体脂肪 (taishibō) — body fat
Example: 脂肪酸 (shibōsan) — fatty acid
Example: 脂肪肝 (shibōkan) — fatty liver
- 油脂 (yushi) — A broader term for oils and fats, often referring to edible or industrial varieties. It helps distinguish between liquid oils (油) and solid fats (脂).
Example: 植物性油脂 (shokubutsusei yushi) — vegetable oils and fats
Example: 動物性油脂 (dōbutsusei yushi) — animal oils and fats
Example: 加工油脂 (kakō yushi) — processed fats and oils
- 脂質 (shishitsu) — A scientific or biological term for lipids, encompassing fats, waxes, sterols, and fat-soluble vitamins. This is a more technical and inclusive term than 脂肪.
Example: 脂質異常症 (shishitsu ijōshō) — dyslipidemia (lipid disorder)
Example: 脂質代謝 (shishitsu taisha) — lipid metabolism
Example: 複合脂質 (fukugō shishitsu) — complex lipids
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The primary Kun'yomi readings for 脂 are あぶら (abura) and やに (yani).
あぶら (abura): This is a common reading, frequently used as a standalone noun or in compounds to refer to fat, oil, or grease in an everyday context. It can refer to animal fat, vegetable oil, or even mineral oil. While similar to the kanji 油 (あぶら), 脂 tends to emphasize animal fat or a thicker, solid or semi-solid form.
- 脂 (abura) — Meaning fat, grease, or oil. It often specifically refers to animal fat.
Example: 肉の脂 — meat fat
Example: 脂身 (aburami) — fatty meat
Example: 脂汗 (aburaase) — cold sweat, clammy sweat
- 脂が乗る (abura ga noru) — An idiom meaning to be in one's prime or at one's best. It often refers to fish becoming plump and delicious with fat.
Example: 旬の魚は脂が乗っている — Seasonal fish are plump with fat (and delicious).
- 脂っこい (aburakkoii) — An adjective meaning greasy, oily, or rich, typically describing food.
Example: 脂っこい料理 — greasy food
やに (yani): This less common reading specifically refers to resin or sap (from trees), and sometimes nicotine stains (tobacco resin). It carries a sticky or tar-like connotation.
- 松脂 (matsuyani) — Pine resin.
Example: 松脂で手がべとべとになった — My hands became sticky with pine resin.
- 煙草の脂 (tabako no yani) — Nicotine stains (literally, tobacco resin/tar).
Example: 壁に煙草の脂が付いている — There are nicotine stains on the wall.
Common Words & Compounds
To master the use of 脂, it's essential to understand it in various compounds. Here are common words and phrases categorized by their themes:
Biological & Health-related Terms
脂肪 (shibō) — Fat; body fat. This is a key term in health and diet.
脂質 (shishitsu) — Lipids. A broader biochemical term that includes various fatty substances.
高脂血症 (kōshikesshō) — Hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol). A medical condition.
飽和脂肪酸 (hōwa shibōsan) — Saturated fatty acid. An important concept in nutrition.
不飽和脂肪酸 (fuhōwa shibōsan) — Unsaturated fatty acid. Also crucial for healthy eating.
Food & Cooking Terms
油脂 (yushi) — Oils and fats (general term for edible or industrial fats/oils).
脂身 (aburami) — Fatty meat. The portion of meat that is mostly fat.
背脂 (seabura) — Back fat (especially of pork, commonly used in ramen broth).
豚脂 (tonshi) — Pork fat; lard. This term is more formal than 豚の脂。
牛脂 (gyūshi) — Beef tallow, which is rendered beef fat.
脂っこい (aburakkoii) — Greasy; oily; rich (food). An adjective to describe the texture or taste of food.
Figurative & Other Uses
脂汗 (aburaase) — Cold sweat; clammy sweat. Often due to fear, nervousness, or illness.
脂が乗る (abura ga noru) — To be in one's prime or at one's best. While often used for people, its origin is from fish becoming fatty and delicious.
松脂 (matsuyani) — Pine resin. The sticky sap from pine trees.
煙草の脂 (tabako no yani) — Nicotine stains; tobacco tar.
Example Sentences
肉にはたくさんの脂が含まれています。
Niku ni wa takusan no abura ga fukumarete imasu.
Meat contains a lot of fat.
健康のためには、脂質の摂りすぎに注意しましょう。
Kenkō no tame ni wa, shishitsu no torisugi ni chūi shimashō.
For your health, be careful not to consume too much fat (lipids).
彼は緊張で脂汗をかいていました。
Kare wa kinchō de aburaase o kaite imashita.
He was breaking out in a cold sweat from nervousness.
このラーメンは背脂がたっぷりでとても濃厚な味です。
Kono rāmen wa seabura ga tappuri de totemo nōkō na aji desu.
This ramen has a lot of back fat and a very rich flavor.
冬になると、魚に脂が乗っておいしくなります。
Fuyu ni naru to, sakana ni abura ga notte oishiku narimasu.
In winter, fish become fatty and delicious.
松脂は粘着性があり、手につくと落としにくいです。
Matsuyani wa nenchakusei ga ari, te ni tsuku to otoshinikui desu.
Pine resin is sticky and hard to remove if it gets on your hands.
食事から摂る脂質はエネルギー源として重要です。
Shokuji kara toru shishitsu wa enerugīgen to shite jūyō desu.
Lipids from meals are important as an energy source.
良質な脂を適量とることは体にいいです。
Ryōshitsu na abura o tekiryō toru koto wa karada ni ii desu.
Consuming a moderate amount of good quality fat is good for the body.
調理の際には、豚脂の代わりに植物性油脂を使うこともあります。
Chōri no sai ni wa, tonshi no kawari ni shokubutsusei yushi o tsukau koto mo arimasu.
When cooking, vegetable oils and fats may sometimes be used instead of lard.
健康診断で高脂血症と診断されました。
Kenkō shindan de kōshikesshō to shindan saremashita.
I was diagnosed with hyperlipidemia during my health check-up.
Memory Tip
To remember the kanji 脂, focus on its two main components: 月 (にくづき), the “meat” or “flesh” radical, and 旨 (むね/うま), which means “delicious” or “essence.” You can imagine a story where the most delicious (旨) part of the meat (月) is often the fat (脂). This mnemonic emphasizes how the rich, flavorful part of animal flesh is often attributed to its fat content, directly connecting the visual elements to the kanji's core meaning. Think of a juicy cut of steak with perfectly rendered fat – that's the 旨 (delicious essence) of the 肉 (meat).