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| 毛 | Reading | What it means | Character | Typical suitability in 書道 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 羊毛 / 羊毫 | yōmō / yōgō | Goat hair (despite 羊) | Very soft, supple; excellent 墨含み; large expressive pressure range; relatively difficult to control | 行書 ★★★★★ / 草書 ★★★★★ / 大字 ★★★★★ / 楷書 ★★ / 仮名 ★★★ |
| 鼬毛 / イタチ毛 | itachige | Weasel hair, often tail hair | Fine point, strong spring/腰, smooth, responsive, moderate-good 墨含み | 仮名 ★★★★★ / 細字 ★★★★★ / 楷書 ★★★★★ / 行書 ★★★★ |
| コリンスキー | korinsukī | Siberian-weasel tail hair (*Mustela sibirica*) | Premium weasel hair; fine and relatively long; excellent point, elasticity and good 墨含み | 仮名 ★★★★★ / 細字 ★★★★★ / 楷書 ★★★★★ / 行書 ★★★★ |
| 狼毫 / 狼毛 | rōgō / rōmō | Usually Chinese-derived term for weasel hair, not wolf | Similar to 鼬: firm, resilient, sharp; quality varies considerably | 楷書 ★★★★★ / 仮名 ★★★★★ / 細字 ★★★★★ / 行書 ★★★★ |
| 馬毛 | umage | Horse hair; different parts of horse have different properties | Generally strong and resilient; can be coarse; gives forceful, clear strokes | 楷書 ★★★★★ / 大字 ★★★★ / 行書 ★★★ / 仮名 ★ |
| 天尾 | amao | Particularly resilient hair near root of horse's tail | Very strong 腰; often used to strengthen a brush/blend | 楷書 ★★★★★ / 大字 ★★★★★ / 行書 ★★★ |
| 狸毛 | tanukige | Raccoon-dog hair | Firm tip, very strong resilience; good when the point needs authority | 楷書 ★★★★★ / 細字 ★★★★ / 仮名 ★★★★ |
| 鹿毛 | shikage | Deer hair | Coarse/stiff, strong; often blended rather than used alone | 楷書 ★★★★ / 大字 ★★★★ / 行書 ★★ |
| 兎毛 / 紫毫 | usagige / shigō | Rabbit/hare hair; 紫毫 traditionally refers to dark rabbit hair | Sharp, resilient, rather delicate; historically prestigious | 細字 ★★★★★ / 楷書 ★★★★ / 仮名 ★★★★ |
| 玉毛 / 猫毛 | tamamō / nekoge | Cat hair | Very fine, soft, with distinctive sticky/supple elasticity | 仮名細字 ★★★★★ / 細字 ★★★★★ / 楷書 ★★ |
| 貂毛 | tenge | Marten hair | Elastic, supple, durable; fine point | 細字 ★★★★★ / 仮名 ★★★★ / 楷書 ★★★★ |
| 猪毛 | inoshishige | Boar hair | Very stiff, rough, produces deliberately vigorous/rough lines | 大字 ★★★★ / 前衛・創作 ★★★★★ / 楷書 ★★ |
| 兼毫 / 兼毛 | kengō / kanemō | Blend of two or more hairs; not an animal | Properties depend on blend; usually balances strong 腰 with good 墨含み | 楷書 ★★★★★ / 行書 ★★★★★ / 草書 ★★★★ / 初学 ★★★★★ |