雌

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 雌(めす) refers to a female animal.
• Basic usage: It is used when describing sex-related differences in appearance or how animals are cared for.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• The counterpart 雄
  • 雄(おす) means a male animal; 雌と雄 names females and males together.
• Referring to people
  • 女性(じょせい) is the usual term for a woman. Applying 雌 to a person can sound demeaning by likening them to an animal.