How to say "lamb" in Japanese

• ラムCommon
  nounThe loanword for lamb. It comes up most often for lamb as food — on menus and in recipes — while the living young sheep is 子羊.
• 子羊こひつじCommon
  nounA young sheep: the living animal rather than its meat. Use it when talking about the animal itself — a lamb in a field, for instance.
  子羊こひつじは狼おおかみに殺ころされた。↗

  The lamb was killed by the wolf.
• 羊肉ようにくCommon
  nounSheep meat as food: the general term, covering both lamb and mutton. It does not itself specify the animal's age, so whether English 'lamb' or 'mutton' fits depends on context.
  私は牛肉ぎゅうにくより羊肉ようにくの方ほうが好すきだ。↗

  I prefer mutton to beef.

Use 子羊 for the living young sheep; 「ラム」 is the loanword, used mostly for lamb as food; and 羊肉 is the general word for sheep meat, whether lamb or mutton.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• ラムlamb
• 子羊こひつじlamb
• 羊肉ようにくmutton