hair

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 毛 has 4 strokes and denotes hair or fur, or appears in names such as blanket.
• Basic usage: 毛 is read け, and 毛布 is read もうふ.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Standalone and compound readings
  • The standalone word 毛 is read け; in 毛布, it is read もう.
• Fur and a blanket
  • 白い猫の毛 means a white cat's fur.
  • 毛布をもう一枚掛けた means that someone covered themselves with one more blanket.
• Counting flat objects
  • 一枚 in the example counts one blanket.