哺乳類

• Reading: ほにゅうるい
• Romaji: honyuurui
• Kanji breakdown: 哺 (ho) — feed, nurse; 乳 (nyuu) — milk, breast; 類 (rui) — class, kind
• Pronunciation: /ho.ɲɯː.ɾɯ.i/

Meaning

Mammal; mammals. The class of warm-blooded animals that nurse their young with milk.

A scientific noun from biology referring to the taxonomic class Mammalia. Combines 哺乳 (nursing/breastfeeding) with 類 (class/category). Used in science education, nature documentaries, and general knowledge contexts. Related terms include 爬虫類 (reptiles), 鳥類 (birds), and 両生類 (amphibians). The kanji 哺 is relatively rare outside this word.

Examples

1. クジラは海に住んでいるが哺乳類に分類される。 Whales live in the ocean but are classified as mammals.
2. 哺乳類は体温を一定に保つことができる動物だ。 Mammals are animals that can maintain a constant body temperature.
3. 地球上にはおよそ六千種の哺乳類が存在する。 There are approximately six thousand species of mammals on Earth.

Usage Guide

Context: science, biology, education, nature

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 哺 (ho, to feed/nurse) + 乳 (nyuu, milk/breast) + 類 (rui, class/kind). Literally 'nursing-milk class,' a translation of the Latin Mammalia (from mamma, breast). Coined during the Meiji era as part of systematic scientific terminology.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji

Generation: All ages

Social background: Educated