牛
cow
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Pictograph of cow's head and horns.
Symbolism
Cow, agriculture, patience. Symbol of diligence and strength in Japan.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Cow grazing
Words & Expressions
Words written with 牛
Four-Character Compounds
九牛一毛
きゅうぎゅうのいちもう
small fraction (of); drop in the bucket; drop in the ocean
牛飲馬食
ぎゅういんばしょく
heavy eating and drinking; gorging and swilling; drinking like a cow and eating like a horse
汗牛充棟
かんぎゅうじゅうとう
(having, there being) a great number of books
鶏口牛後
けいこうぎゅうご
better to be the beak of a rooster than the rump of a bull; better to be the leader of a small group than a subordinate in a large organization; better to be a big fish in a little pond than a little fish in a big pond
蝸牛角上
かぎゅうかくじょう
trifling (fight); (a conflict) between small countries
牛鬼蛇神
ぎゅうきだしん
wicked and perverse; weird and incoherent
矯角殺牛
きょうかくさつぎゅう
trying to straighten the horns of a bull, and killing it in the process; trying to correct a small defect and ruining the whole thing; the cure is worse than the disease
牛頭馬頭
ごずめず
horse-headed and ox-headed demons in the Buddhist hell
Poetry
蝸牛そろそろ登れ富士の山
Snail, climb Mount Fuji — but slowly, slowly.
Related Figures & Stories
高山樗牛
Name contains 牛
Takayama Chogyū 28 February 1871 – 24 December 1902) was a Japanese writer and literary critic.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 牛 mean in Japanese?
牛 means cow.
How do you read 牛?
On'yomi: ギュウ (GYUU). Kun'yomi: うし (ushi).
How many strokes does 牛 have?
牛 has 4 strokes. Its radical is 牛 (cow).
Is 牛 a good kanji for a tattoo?
牛 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means cow. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:cow