. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
you have here. The definition of the word
will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Translingual
Stroke order
Stroke order
牜 (U+725C
) - used as a left radical component (not a standalone character)
𠂒 (U+20092
) - sometimes used as a top component
Han character
牛 (Kangxi radical 93, 牛 +0, 4 strokes, cangjie input 竹手 (HQ ), four-corner 25000 , composition ⿻𠂉 十 )
Kangxi radical #93, ⽜ .
Shuowen Jiezi radical №19
Derived characters
Appendix:Chinese radical/牛
件 , 吽 , 𡉯 , 𫰔 , 𡵜 , 𢓐 , 𢪧 , 汼 , 𭷽 , 𨸡 , 𨑴 , 𣅫 , 㭌 , 犇 , 𣧘 , 𣬳 , 𤰼 , 𥝫 , 䋅 , 𦧋 , 𧉖 , 𧣈 , 𧥸 , 𧲤 , 鈝 , 𮓤 ,䭽 , 𩲍 , 𩵠 , 𩿓 , 䵓 , 𬨹
吿 , 𭇤 , 𡕘 , 䒜 , 𣁄 , 𪺝 , 㽚 , 窂 , 荦 , 𬙮 , 𧢻 , 𤛗 , 𤵃 , 𨳯 , 制
See also
References
Kangxi Dictionary: page 697 , character 1
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 19922
Dae Jaweon: page 1108, character 16
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 1800, character 1
Unihan data for U+725B
Chinese
Wikipedia has articles on:
牛 (Written Standard Chinese? ) 牛 (Cantonese) 牛 (Classical) gû (Southern Min) 牛 (Wu)
Glyph origin
Pictogram (象形 ) of a bull's head.
Etymology
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ŋwa .
"awesome"
Clipping of 牛屄 ( niúbī ) .
Pronunciation
Mandarin
(Standard )
(Pinyin ) : niú (niu2 )
(Zhuyin ) : ㄋㄧㄡˊ
(Chengdu , Sichuanese Pinyin ) : nyiu2
(Xi'an , Guanzhong Pinyin ) : niú
(Nanjing , Nanjing Pinyin ) : liú
(Dungan , Cyrillic and Wiktionary ) : ню (ni͡u, I)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou –Hong Kong , Jyutping ) : ngau4 / ngau4-2
(Dongguan , Jyutping++ ) : ngaau4
(Taishan , Wiktionary ) : ngeu3
(Yangjiang , Jyutping++ ) : ngau4
Gan (Wiktionary ) : nyiu4 / ngieu4
Hakka
(Sixian , PFS ) : ngiù
(Hailu , HRS ) : ngiu
(Meixian , Guangdong ) : ngiu2
Jin (Wiktionary ) : niou1
Northern Min (KCR ) : niû
Eastern Min (BUC ) : ngù / ngiù
Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing ): gu2 / giu2
Southern Min
(Hokkien , POJ ) : gû / giû / ngiû
(Teochew , Peng'im ) : ghu5
(Leizhou , Leizhou Pinyin ) : bhu5
Southern Pinghua (Nanning , Jyutping++ ) : njau4
Wu (Wugniu )
Xiang (Changsha , Wiktionary ) : nyiou2
Note : ngau4-2 - "beef", chiefly in compounds.
Note :
ngù - vernacular;
ngiù - literary.
Note :
gu2 - vernacular;
giu2 - literary.
Note :
gû - vernacular;
giû/ngiû - literary.
Baxter –Sagart system 1.1 (2014 )
Character
牛
Reading #
1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)
niú
Middle Chinese
‹ ngjuw ›
Old Chinese
/*ʷə/ (< uvular?)
English
ox
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:
* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. * as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;
* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character
牛
Reading #
1/1
No.
9564
Phonetic component
牛
Rime group
之
Rime subdivision
0
Corresponding MC rime
牛
Old Chinese
/*ŋʷɯ/
Definitions
牛
bovine , e.g. cow , bull , ox , buffalo , bison , yak (Classifier : 頭 / 头 m c mb md ; 條 / 条 m g h x ; 隻 / 只 m c g mn w x )
beef
乾炒牛 河 / 干炒牛 河 ― gānchǎo niú hé ― beef chow fun
蛋 牛 治 [Cantonese ] ― daan6-2 ngau4-2 zi6 ― beef and egg sandwich
stubborn ; pigheaded
( colloquial ) arrogant
( Mainland China , Mandarin , slang ) awesome ; powerful
牛 屄 ― niú bī ― awesome
牛 人 ― niú rén ― an awesome person
( ~宿 ) ( Chinese astronomy ) Ox ( one of Twenty-Eight Mansions )
( physics ) Short for 牛頓 / 牛顿 (niúdùn , “newton ”).
( Hong Kong Cantonese , computing ) Short for 火牛 (“transformer”). (Classifier : 隻 / 只 c )
a surname
牛 僧 孺 ― Niú Sēngrú ― Niu Sengru (Tang politician)
Synonyms
Dialectal synonyms of
牛 (“bovine”)
Variety
Location
Words
Classical Chinese
牛
Formal (Written Standard Chinese )
牛
Taxonomic name
牛
Northeastern Mandarin
Beijing
牛
Taiwan
牛
Chengde
牛
Chifeng
牛
Hulunbuir (Hailar)
牛
Heihe
牛
Qiqihar
牛
Harbin
牛
Jiamusi
牛
Baicheng
牛
Changchun
牛
Tonghua
牛
Shenyang
牛
Jinzhou
牛
Malaysia
牛
Singapore
牛
Jilu Mandarin
Tianjin
牛
Tangshan
牛
Cangzhou
牛
Baoding
牛
Shijiazhuang
牛
Lijin
牛
Jinan
牛
Jiaoliao Mandarin
Dalian
牛
Dandong
牛
Yantai
牛
Yantai (Muping)
牛
Qingdao
牛
Zhucheng
牛
Central Plains Mandarin
Luoyang
牛
Lingbao
牛
Jining
牛
Wanrong
牛
Linfen
牛
Shangqiu
牛
Yuanyang
牛
Zhengzhou
牛
Xinyang
牛
Baihe
牛
Xi'an
牛
Baoji
牛
Tianshui
牛
Xining
牛
Xuzhou
牛
Fuyang
牛
Lanyin Mandarin
Yinchuan
牛
Lanzhou
牛
Dunhuang
牛
Hami
牛
Ürümqi
牛
Southwestern Mandarin
Chengdu
牛
Nanchong
牛
Dazhou
牛
Hanyuan
牛
Xichang
牛
Zigong
牛
Chongqing
牛
Wuhan
牛
Yichang
牛
Xiangyang
牛
Tianmen
牛
Guiyang
牛
Zunyi
牛
Bijie
牛
Liping
牛
Zhaotong
牛
Dali
牛
Kunming
牛
Mengzi
牛
Guilin
牛
Liuzhou
牛 , 拖磨子
Jishou
牛
Changde
牛
Hanzhong
牛
Jianghuai Mandarin
Nanjing
牛
Yangzhou
牛
Lianyungang
牛
Lianshui
牛
Nantong
牛
Anqing
牛
Wuhu
牛
Hefei
牛
Hong'an
牛
Cantonese
Guangzhou
牛
Hong Kong
牛
Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou)
牛
Macau
牛
Guangzhou (Panyu)
牛
Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)
牛
Guangzhou (Conghua)
牛
Guangzhou (Zengcheng)
牛
Foshan
牛
Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)
牛
Foshan (Shunde)
牛
Foshan (Sanshui)
牛
Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)
牛
Zhongshan (Shiqi)
牛
Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)
牛
Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)
牛
Zhuhai (Doumen)
牛
Jiangmen (Baisha)
牛
Jiangmen (Xinhui)
牛
Taishan
牛
Kaiping (Chikan)
牛
Enping (Niujiang)
牛
Heshan (Yayao)
牛
Dongguan
牛
Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)
牛
Yangjiang
牛
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)
牛
Singapore (Guangfu)
牛
Gan
Nanchang
牛
Lichuan
牛
Pingxiang
牛
Hakka
Meixian
牛
Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua)
牛
Dongguan (Qingxi)
牛
Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)
牛
Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)
牛
Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)
牛
Yudu
牛
Miaoli (N. Sixian)
牛仔
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)
牛仔
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)
牛
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)
牛
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)
牛
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)
牛
Huizhou
Shexian
牛
Jin
Taiyuan
牛 , 牛兒
Yangyuan
牛
Datong
牛
Xinzhou
牛
Lüliang (Lishi)
牛
Changzhi
牛
Linhe
牛
Jining
牛
Hohhot
牛
Erenhot
牛
Pingshan
牛
Zhangjiakou
牛
Handan
牛
Linzhou
牛
Suide
牛
Northern Min
Jian'ou
牛
Eastern Min
Fuzhou
牛
Southern Min
Xiamen
牛
Quanzhou
牛
Zhangzhou
牛
Zhao'an
牛
Taipei
牛
New Taipei (Sanxia)
牛
Kaohsiung
牛仔
Yilan
牛仔
Changhua (Lukang)
牛
Taichung
牛
Tainan
牛
Hsinchu
牛
Kinmen
牛
Penghu (Magong)
牛
Penang (Hokkien)
牛
Singapore (Hokkien)
牛
Manila (Hokkien)
牛
Chaozhou
牛
Shantou
牛
Shantou (Chenghai)
牛
Singapore (Teochew)
牛
Leizhou
牛
Wenchang
牛
Haikou
牛 , 牛媽
Singapore (Hainanese)
牛
Puxian Min
Putian
牛 , 牛犅
Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu)
牛 , 牛犅
Zhongshan Min
Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)
牛
Shehua
Fu'an
牛
Fuding
牛
Luoyuan
牛
Sanming
牛
Shunchang
牛
Hua'an
牛
Guixi (Zhangping)
牛
Cangnan
牛
Jingning (Hexi)
牛
Lishui
牛
Longyou
牛
Chaozhou
牛
Fengshun
牛
Wu
Shanghai
牛
Suzhou
牛
Danyang
牛
Wenzhou
牛
Jinhua
牛
Xiang
Changsha
牛 , 寶耕
Shuangfeng
牛
( beef ) : 牛肉 (niúròu )
( awesome ) :
不得了 ( bùdéliǎo ) ( colloquial ) 了不得 ( colloquial ) 了不起 ( liǎobùqǐ ) ( colloquial ) 了勿起 ( Wu ) 佼佼 ( jiǎojiǎo ) ( literary ) 俊偉 / 俊伟 ( jùnwěi ) ( literary ) 偉大 / 伟大 ( wěidà ) 傑出 / 杰出 ( jiéchū ) 傲人 ( àorén ) ( nowadays especially of breasts, body curve ) 優異 / 优异 ( yōuyì ) 優秀 / 优秀 ( yōuxiù ) 優越 / 优越 ( yōuyuè ) 出挑 ( chhut-thio ) ( Quanzhou Hokkien ) 出擢 ( Hokkien ) 出眾 / 出众 ( chūzhòng ) 出腳 / 出脚 ( Hokkien ) 出色 ( chūsè ) 勢面 / 势面 ( Hokkien ) 勿得了 ( Wu ) 卓然 ( zhuórán ) ( literary ) 卓犖 / 卓荦 ( zhuóluò ) ( literary ) 卓異 / 卓异 ( zhuóyì ) ( literary ) 卓著 / 卓着 ( zhuózhù ) 卓越 ( zhuóyuè ) 厲害 / 厉害 ( lìhài ) ( informal ) 咧斗 ( Zhangzhou Hokkien ) 咧斗 ( Zhangzhou Hokkien ) 好極了 / 好极了 ( hǎo jíle ) 尤異 / 尤异 ( yóuyì ) ( literary ) 崢嶸 / 峥嵘 ( zhēngróng ) 彰顯 / 彰显 ( zhāngxiǎn ) 惡實 / 恶实 ( o5 shr6 ) ( Xiang, used as a complement ) 打得 ( Hakka ) 挺 ( tǐng ) 斐然 ( fěirán ) 棒 ( bàng ) ( colloquial ) 標青 / 标青 ( biu1 ceng1 ) ( Cantonese, Teochew ) 漂亮 炳 ( bǐng ) ( literary ) 牛鬼 ( Guilin Mandarin ) 特出 ( tèchū ) 特異 / 特异 ( tèyì ) 犀利 ( xīlì ) ( originally Cantonese, sometimes Mandarin ) 皦皦 ( jiǎojiǎo ) ( literary ) 看家 ( kānjiā ) ( attributive, of skill, ability, etc. ) 穩 / 稳 ( wěn ) ( slang, neologism ) 突出 ( tūchū ) 英英 ( yīngyīng ) ( literary ) 蓋帽 / 盖帽 ( gàimào ) ( slang ) 表表 ( biǎobiǎo ) ( literary ) 超凡 ( chāofán ) 超卓 ( chāozhuó ) ( literary ) 超常 ( chāocháng ) 超拔 ( chāobá ) ( literary ) 超絕 / 超绝 ( chāojué ) 非凡 ( fēifán ) 響噹噹 / 响当当 ( xiǎngdāngdāng ) 顯著 / 显着 ( xiǎnzhù ) 高強 / 高强 ( gāoqiáng )
Dialectal synonyms of
厲害 (“impressive; excellent; amazing; fantastic”)
Variety
Location
Words
Northeastern Mandarin
Beijing
牛 , 牛兒 , 牛屄 vulgar
Taiwan
厲害 , 棒
Malaysia
厲害 , 夠力
Singapore
厲害
Cantonese
Guangzhou
犀利 , 勁
Hong Kong
犀利 , 勁 , 勁抽 , 堅抽
Penang (Guangfu)
犀利
Singapore (Guangfu)
犀利 , 勁
Hakka
Miaoli (N. Sixian)
厲害 , 慶
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)
厲害 , 慶 , 壁
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)
厲害 , 慶
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)
厲害 , 慶
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)
厲害 , 慶
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)
厲害 , 慶
Hong Kong
叻
Kuching (Hepo)
慶
Southern Min
Xiamen
厲害
Shishi
厲害
Zhao'an
厲害
Tainan
厲害
Penang (Hokkien)
厲害
Singapore (Hokkien)
厲害 , 勥 , 𠢕
Manila (Hokkien)
厲害 , 勥 , 𠢕
Puning
厲害 , 野
Haifeng
厲害
Singapore (Teochew)
厲害
Wu
Shanghai
結棍
Suzhou
結棍
Wuxi
結棍
Hangzhou
結棍
Ningbo
結棍
Xiang
Changsha
䏧腮
Dialectal synonyms of
變壓器 (“transformer”)
Descendants
Compounds
See also
(Chinese zodiac signs ) (~年 ) 鼠 (shǔ ), 牛 (niú ), 虎 (hǔ ), 兔 (tù ), 龍 / 龙 (lóng ), 蛇 (shé ), 馬 / 马 (mǎ ), 羊 (yáng ), 猴 (hóu ), 雞 / 鸡 (jī ), 狗 (gǒu ), 豬 / 猪 (zhū ) (Category: zh:Chinese zodiac signs )
References
Japanese
Kanji
牛
(Second grade kyōiku kanji )
cow , ox , cattle
Readings
Compounds
Compounds
牛( うし ) 馬( うま ) ( ushiuma )
牛( うし ) 鬼( おに ) ( ushioni ) , 牛( ぎゅう ) 鬼( き ) ( gyūki )
牛( うし ) 氈( かも ) 鹿( しか ) ( ushikamoshika , “ wildebeest , gnu ” )
牛車( ぎっしゃ ) ( gissha ) , 牛( ぎゅう ) 車( しゃ ) ( gyūsha ) , 牛( うし ) 車( ぐるま ) ( ushiguruma ) : oxcart
牛( ぎゅう ) 脂( し ) ( gyūshi , “ tallow of cow ” )
牛( ぎゅう ) 舎( しゃ ) ( gyūsha )
牛( ぎゅう ) 耳( じ ) る ( gyūjiru )
牛( ぎゅう ) 肉( にく ) ( gyūniku , “ beef ” )
牛( ぎゅう ) 乳( にゅう ) ( gyūnyū , “ cow's milk ” )
牛( ぎゅう ) 馬( ば ) ( gyūba )
牛( ぎゅう ) 皮( ひ ) ( gyūhi , “ cowhide ” )
牛( ぎゅう ) 酪( らく ) ( gyūraku , “ butter ” )
牛頭天王( ごずてんのう ) ( Gozu Tennō ) : name of a deity
牛( ご ) 蒡( ぼう ) ( gobō ) : greater burdock (Arctium lappa )
インド牛( うし ) ( indōshi ) , 瘤( こぶ ) 牛( うし ) ( kobūshi ) , 犎( ほう ) 牛( ぎゅう ) ( hōgyū ) : zebu
雄( お ) 牛( うし ) , 牡( お ) 牛( うし ) ( ōshi )
蝸( か ) 牛( ぎゅう ) ( kagyū , “ snail ; cochlea ” )
蝸牛( かたつむり ) ( katatsumuri , “ snail ” )
子( こ ) 牛( うし ) , 仔( こ ) 牛( うし ) ( kōshi )
呉( ご ) 牛( ぎゅう ) ( gogyū ) , 水( すい ) 牛( ぎゅう ) ( suigyū ) : water buffalo
麝( じゃ ) 香( こう ) 牛( うし ) ( jakōushi , “ musk ox ” )
肉( にく ) 牛( ぎゅう ) ( nikugyū , “ beef cattle ” )
乳( にゅう ) 牛( ぎゅう ) ( nyūgyū , “ dairy cattle ” )
雌( め ) 牛( うし ) , 牝( め ) 牛( うし ) ( meushi )
Etymology 1
From Old Japanese , from Proto-Japonic *usi .
Pronunciation
Noun
牛( うし ) or 牛( ウシ ) • (ushi )
cow , bull , ox , cattle , a domestic bovine
Synonyms: ( dialectal, Tohoku ) べこ , ( dialectal, Akita, Sendai, Shimokita, Tsugaru ) べご , ( dialectal, Kagoshima ) べぶ
1999 November 18, “牛( ぎゅう ) 魔( ま ) 人( じん ) [Bull Jinn ]”, in Vol.6 , Konami :
森( もり ) に住( す ) む牛( うし ) の魔( ま ) 人( じん ) 。ツノを突( つ ) き出( だ ) し突( とっ ) 進( しん ) して攻( こう ) 撃( げき ) 。Mori ni sumu ushi no majin. Tsuno o tsukidashi tosshin shite kōgeki. A bovine jinn who resides in the woods. He’ll charge at you and stick you with his horns.
1999 December 1, “ミノタウルス [Minotaurus ]”, in BOOSTER 6 , Konami :
すごい力( ちから ) を持( も ) つウシ の怪( かい ) 物( ぶつ ) 。オノひと振( ふ ) りで何( なに ) でもなぎ倒( たお ) す。 Sugoi chikara o motsu ushi no kaibutsu. Ono hitofuri de nani demo nagitaosu. A bovine monster with tremendous power who chops up anyone in his way with one axe swing.
beef
Usage notes
As with many terms that name organisms, this term is often spelled in katakana , especially in biological contexts (where katakana is customary), as ウシ .
Derived terms
Etymology 2
From Middle Chinese 牛 ( ngjuw , “ cow ” ) . Compare Hokkien 牛 ( giû / ngiû ) .
Pronunciation
Noun
牛( ぎゅう ) • (gyū ) ←ぎう ( giu ) ?
cow , bull , ox , cattle
beef
( astronomy ) Ox
References
↑ 1.0 1.1 Matsumura, Akira , editor (2006 ), 大辞林 [Daijirin ] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo : Sanseidō , →ISBN
↑ 2.0 2.1 NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute , editor (1998 ), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary ] (in Japanese), Tokyo : NHK Publishing, Inc. , →ISBN
Korean
Hanja
牛 (eumhun 소 우 ( so u ) )
hanja form? of 우 ( “ cow ” )
Compounds
Miyako
Kanji
牛
(Second grade kyōiku kanji )
Readings
Etymology
From Proto-Ryukyuan *usi , from Proto-Japonic *usi .
Pronunciation
( Tarama; Nakachi, Irabu ) IPA (key ) : /u.sz̩/
Noun
牛( うす ) (usu )
cow , cattle
beef
References
Tokuyama, Shun'ei (渡久山春英 ), Kenan, Celik (セリック・ケナン ) (2020 ) 南琉球宮古語多良間方言辞典 [A Dictionary of Tarama Miyako, a dialect of Southern Ryukyuan ], Tokyo (東京都 ) : Kokuritsu Kokugo Kenkyūjo, Gengo Hen'i Kenkyū Ryōiki (国立国語研究所 言語変異研究領域 ), →ISBN , page 89
Tomihama, Sadayoshi (富浜定吉 ) (2013 ) 宮古伊良部方言辞典 [Miyako Irabu Dialect Dictionary ], Naha (那覇市 ): Okinawa Times (沖縄タイムス社 ), →ISBN , page 102
Okinawan
Kanji
牛
(Second grade kyōiku kanji )
Readings
Etymology
From Proto-Ryukyuan *usi , from Proto-Japonic *usi .
Pronunciation
Noun
牛( うし ) (ushi )
cow , cattle
Derived terms
References
“うし【牛】 ” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary , 2019.
Vietnamese
Han character
牛 : Hán Nôm readings: ngưu , ngọ , ngỏ , ngõ , ngâu
This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation , then remove the text {{rfdef }}
.
Yonaguni
Kanji
牛
(Second grade kyōiku kanji )
Readings
Etymology
From Proto-Ryukyuan *usi , from Proto-Japonic *usi .
Noun
牛( うち ) (uchi )
cow , cattle
References
“うち【牛】 ” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary , 2019.