What is the difference between "肉" and "にく"?

"肉" means "meat" (N5), whereas "にく" represents "meat" (N5).

Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "にく (niku)"

Same sound, completely different Kanji! Choose the right conceptual writing.

Kanji Option A

にく (niku)

N5 / CEFR

Kanji Option B

にく (niku)

N5 / CEFR

In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "にく (niku)" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.

肉 (Level: N5): Translates to "meat" and is used when General term for meat.
にく (Level: N5): Maps to "meat" and carries the nuance of General term for meat. Specific types include ぎゅうにく.

Mixing these up can easily result in unnatural writing. Look at the bilingual context cards below to master the conceptual boundaries!

Bilingual Context for "肉"

私は肉が好きです。

I like meat.

Bilingual Context for "にく"

晩ごはんに肉を食べました。

I ate meat for dinner.

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "私は＿＿＿が好きです。" (Meaning: "I like meat.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "肉" is used for "meat" in the context: "I like meat.".