羊 yáng

“sheep; goat”

noun2021 list level 3Measure word 头 · 只

新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level

羊 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.

Entry 918: 羊 yáng — Level 3; official annotation 3 (名). PDF page 102

Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.

用法How to use 羊

羊 is a noun meaning “sheep” or “goat” and refers to the animal in general; the common specific words are 绵羊 (sheep) and 山羊 (goat). Use the classifier 只 for one sheep or goat (一只羊), or 头 for a larger animal (一头羊). It also appears in the surname Yáng, but at HSK 3 the everyday animal noun is the main use.

例句Example sentences

爷爷在山上养了二十只羊。yé ye zài shān shàng yǎng le èr shí zhī yáng.Grandpa keeps twenty sheep on the mountain.
这只羊的毛又白又软。zhè zhī yáng de máo yòu bái yòu ruǎn.This sheep’s wool is white and soft.
冬天到了，很多人喜欢吃羊肉火锅。dōng tiān dào le, hěn duō rén xǐ huan chī yáng ròu huǒ guō.Winter has arrived, and many people like to eat mutton hot pot.

常见错误Common mistakes

✗我家有一个羊。

✓我家有一只羊。

In standard Mandarin, 羊 as an animal takes the classifier 只 (or 头 for a large animal), not 个.

易混词Easily confused

羊vs阳

Both are pronounced yáng, but 羊 is the animal “sheep/goat,” while 阳 means “sun; yang” and appears in words such as 太阳 and 阳光.

义项All meanings

Yáng: surname Yang
yáng: sheep; goat