牛 (niú) - Cow, ox, cattle & bovine

牛Tone 2

niú ｜ 4 strokes ｜ radical: 牛

柠七

牛 · niú

Cow, ox, cattle;

bovine;

stubborn;

powerful;

a surname.

Cow, ox, cattlebovinestubborn

Usage highlights

CowBeefMilkCowherdBull marketStubborn

Synonyms

  • 奶牛— dairy cow
  • 黄牛— yellow cattle/ox
  • 犟— stubborn (shares the 'stubborn' connotation)

Antonyms

  • 熊— bear (as in bear market, antonym to bull market)
  • 顺— compliant, obedient (antonym to the 'stubborn' sense)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I saw a cow (牛) in the field.
  • He is very stubborn (牛脾气).
  • Beef (牛肉) is delicious.
  • That's amazing!(真牛!)

Collocations

  • Cow(牛)
  • Beef(牛肉)
  • Milk(牛奶)
  • Cowherd(放牛娃)
  • Bull market(牛市)
  • Stubborn(牛脾气)

Idioms

  • To blow one's own trumpet(吹牛)
  • As strong as an ox(力大如牛)
  • A scholar in a herd of cattle(对牛弹琴)
  • Nine cows and one hair(九牛一毛)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Cattle have been central to Chinese agriculture for millennia, symbolizing hard work and reliability.
  • In the Chinese zodiac, the Ox (牛) is the second animal, representing diligence, determination, and honesty.
  • The character is often used metaphorically to describe someone as stubborn or exceptionally skilled/capable.

FAQ