羊毛

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 羊毛(ようもう) combines 羊, sheep, with 毛, hair or fleece.
• Basic usage: It refers to sheep's fleece and the fiber obtained from it, often when describing materials used for clothing or blankets.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• の links the material
  • の in 羊毛のセーター identifies the sweater's material. Lightness and warmth are described as features of that sweater in the example.
• 羊毛 and 毛糸
  • 羊毛 focuses on fiber from sheep, while 毛糸(けいと) focuses on yarn used for knitting and similar crafts. Distinguish the material's name from the name of its form as yarn.