油 and 脂: spellings for oil and fat
Learn common combinations for two words read あぶら without forcing an absolute spelling rule.
Typical combinations with 油
油, read あぶら, means oil. 鍋に油を少し入れました。 means putting a little oil in a pot.
機械の油を交換しました。 means changing the oil in a machine. 油 does not always mean cooking oil.
Typical combinations with 脂
脂, also read あぶら, refers to fat or greasiness. 肉の脂を取り除きました。 means removing fat from meat.
脂の多い肉を選びました。 means selecting fatty meat. Distinguish the amount of fat from the amount of meat.
Spelling and scope
Use liquid oil with 油 and fat in meat with 脂 as representative combinations. Context and convention matter; do not require 脂 for every animal-derived oil.
脂を少し残しました。 means leaving a little fat. Do not turn a remaining amount into no fat at all when describing removal.
What is abundant in 脂の多い肉?
Show the answer and why
The fat in the meat, not the overall quantity of meat.