牛 niú cow

源How it came to be

An ox seen head on: the horns curving up at the top and the nose line straight down the middle. The same view as the sheep, with the horns turned the other way.

用How it is used

• Ox/cow, and the base of 牛奶 (niúnǎi) milk and 牛肉 (niúròu) beef; measure word 头 (tóu): 一头牛.
• In slang 牛 (niú) means 'awesome, badass' - 你太牛了 you're amazing. 吹牛 (chuīniú) = to brag (lit. blow the ox).

字Characters built with 牛

• 件 measure word for clothes and items
• 制 system
• 牢 pen
• 牵 to drag
• 犀 rhinoceros

词Words with 牛

• 牛奶niúnǎicow's milkHSK 1
• 牛仔裤niúzǎikùjeansHSK 5
• 吹牛chuīniúto talk bigHSK 8
• 对牛弹琴duìniú-tánqínliterally to play the lute to a cow (idiom)HSK 8

句Example sentences

• 牛有两只角。 Niú yǒu liǎng zhī jiǎo.Cows have two horns.
• 我可以试一下这条牛仔裤吗？ Wǒ kěyǐ shì yíxià zhè tiáo niúzǎikù ma?Can I try on this pair of jeans?
• 牛奶含钙量很高。 Niúnǎi hángàiliàng hěn gāo.Milk has a high calcium content.