羊角 (yáng jiǎo) literally means 'ram’s horn'—a compound noun formed by combining 羊 (yáng), meaning 'sheep' or more specifically 'ram', and 角 (jiǎo), meaning 'horn'. Though it refers to the actual horns of sheep or goats, it is most commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine, culinary contexts, and classical literature. In TCM, dried ram’s horns are sometimes ground into powder for medicinal use; in cooking, they may appear as decorative elements in regional dishes or festivals. The term can also appear metaphorically—for example, describing something curved like a ram’s horn, such as certain types of wind instruments or architectural motifs.

While 羊角 is precise and neutral in register, it is not everyday vocabulary for modern urban speakers. It appears more frequently in specialized domains—herbalism, folklore, historical texts, or rural settings—rather than casual conversation. Unlike the general term 角 (jiǎo), which can refer to any horn or even geometric angles, 羊角 specifies origin and species, carrying connotations of naturalness, tradition, and sometimes rustic authenticity.