The Meaning of kachiku [家畜] In Japanese
家畜
かちく
Romaji: kachiku
N4
What does 家畜 mean?
Translation and Meaning
domestic animals, livestock
Definition
What does 家畜 mean? It refers to domesticated animals kept by humans for farming, production, or labor, such as cattle, pigs, sheep, and poultry; the term covers animals raised on farms or ranches and excludes wild animals.
Type
noun (名詞)
Stroke Order
Meanings
- Primary sense is the category of animals kept for agricultural production or labor on farms
- Includes common livestock such as cattle, pigs, sheep, horses, and poultry
- Used in agricultural, veterinary, and policy or legal discourse
- Not typically used to refer to pets or wild animals
Composition
- 家 means home, household
- 畜 means livestock, domestic animals
- When combined, they denote animals kept by a household or farm for production or labor
Usage
Used in formal and technical contexts such as farming, veterinary science, animal husbandry, and agricultural policy; typical phrases include 家畜を飼う, 家畜市場, and 家畜伝染病. Regular conversation tends to use simpler terms when speaking about farm animals, reserving 家畜 for technical or formal discussion.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine a house with animals kept inside; link the idea of a family farm to the word by picturing the home as the base for keeping livestock.
Variations
- 牲畜 (せいちく, seichiku) — equivalent term
- 家畜類 (かちくるい, kachikurui) — broader class including livestock
Example Phrases
-
朝、牧場で 祖父 が 家畜 の 世話 を 手伝う。Asa, bokujou de sofu ga kachiku no sewa o tetsudau.In the morning, at the farm, grandpa helps take care of the livestock.Lista:
- 朝 (asa) – morning
- 牧場で (bokujou de) – on the farm
- 祖父 (sofu) – grandfather
- が (ga) – subject marker
- 家畜 (kachiku) – livestock
- の (no) – possessive particle
- 世話 (sewa) – care
- を (wo) – object marker
- 手伝う (tetsudau) – to help
Core point: 「家畜」 is a noun meaning livestock; in this sentence it forms 「家畜の世話」 with の to indicate the care of the livestock.
