JLPT N4 · 4 strokes
Kanji 牛: "cow"
The kanji 牛 means "cow". It is written with 4 strokes and belongs to JLPT level N4, read ギュウ in on'yomi and うし in kun'yomi.
Stroke order
Strokes are written in the order of the numbers. The order is not decorative: it is what gives the character its balance, and it is also how handwriting search works in Japanese dictionaries.
Readings
On'yomi (Sino-Japanese reading)
ギュウ
Kun'yomi (native Japanese reading)
うし
In a kun'yomi reading, the dot separates the kanji from its okurigana: かた.る is read かたる and written 語る. A hyphen marks a bound position, like -び in 日.
At a glance
| Meaning | cow |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 4 |
| JLPT level | N4 |
| Taught in Japan | grade 2 |
| Frequency rank | 1202 of 2,501 |
Common words with 牛
The most frequent words using this kanji, most common first, with furigana readings. Click one to open it in the reader.
- 牛cattle (Bos taurus); cow; bull; ox · beef
- 牛乳(cow's) milk
- 牛肉beef
- 牛耳るto control; to take the lead in; to have under one's thumb
- 牛丼gyudon; rice covered with sliced beef, usu. with fried onion
- 牛車ox carriage (for Heian-era nobles); oxcart
- コーヒー牛乳coffee-flavored milk; coffee milk
- 子牛calf · small cow
- 猛牛raging bull; ferocious bull
- 牛蒡great burdock (Arctium lappa); gobo
- 牛馬horses and cattle
- 蝸牛snail
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