Usage note
牛可以用来指代奶牛或耕牛。
niú kě yǐ lái zhǐ dài nǎi niú huò gēng niú.
牛 can be used to refer to dairy cows or oxen.
Context note
在农场、故事或诗歌中经常会提到牛。
zài nánguǎnɡénɡ、ɡùshì huò qǐnɡsī zhōnɡ kějiànɡ tèdào niú.
Cows are often mentioned in farms, stories, or poems.
5 examples
这头牛很聪明。
zhè tóu niú hěn cōng ming。
This cow is very clever.
我们家有一头奶牛。
wǒ men jiā yǒu yì tóu nǎi niú。
We have a dairy cow at home.
这是一首关于牛的诗。
zhè shì yì shǒu guān yú niú de shī。
This is a poem about cows.
农民用牛耕地。
nóng mín yòng niú gēng dì。
Farmers use oxen to plow the fields.
我最喜欢的小动物是牛。
wǒ zuì xǐ huan de xiǎo dòng wù shì niú。
My favorite small animal is a cow.
5 mini stories
小明家有一头奶牛，每天挤牛奶。
xiǎo míng jiā yǒu yì tóu nǎi niú， měi tiān jǐ niú nǎi。
Xiaoming's family has a dairy cow that milks every day.
小红的爷爷养了一群牛，经常带她去放牛。
xiǎo hóng de yé ye yǎng le yì qún niú， jīng cháng dài tā qù fàng niú。
Xiaohong's grandfather raises a group of cows and often takes her to graze them.
小华在农场里看到一头牛，它正在吃草。
xiǎo huá zài nóng chǎng lǐ kàn dào yì tóu niú， tā zhèng zài chī cǎo。
Xiaohua saw a cow in the farm; it was eating grass.
小丽的爸爸是农民，他经常用牛耕地。
xiǎo lì de bà ba shì nóng mín， tā jīng cháng yòng niú gēng dì。
Xiaoli's father is a farmer who often uses oxen to plow the fields.
小刚的妈妈喜欢牛，她经常给牛喂食。
xiǎo gāng de mā ma xǐ huan niú， tā jīng cháng gěi niú wèi shí。
Xiaogang's mother likes cows and often feeds them.
Mini dialogue
农场里的牛
A
你看，那边有一头牛。
Nǐ kàn, nà biān yǒu yī tóu niú.
Look, there is a cow over there.
B
牛在吃草呢。
Niú zài chī cǎo ne.
The cow is eating grass.
画牛
A
你在画什么？
Nǐ zài huà shénme?
What are you drawing?
B
我在画一头牛。
Wǒ zài huà yī tóu niú.
I am drawing a cow.
A
画得真好！
Huà de zhēn hǎo!
You drew it really well!
Related words and contrasts
related
奶牛
nǎi niú
dairy cow
A cow that gives milk.
contrast
公牛
gōng niú
bull
A male cow.