ocean · western

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 洋 has 9 strokes and appears in words relating both to the ocean and to the West.
• Basic usage: 洋服 is read ようふく, and 西洋 is read せいよう.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• The scope of clothing in context
  • 新しい洋服 is used to mean new clothes.
  • 洋服より着物を好んでいた contrasts Western-style clothing with kimono, so the two categories should not be collapsed into undifferentiated clothing.
• Western styles
  • 西洋の様式 means Western styles.