牛: the kanji for cow and cattle
牛 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means cow, cattle. Below are its readings, 8 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
牛 is written in 4 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
牛 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 8 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ギュウ (gyuu)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 牛肉ぎゅうにく · gyūniku | beef |
| 牛乳ぎゅうにゅう · gyūnyū | milk |
| 牛丼ぎゅうどん · gyūdon | beef bowl |
| 和牛わぎゅう · wagyū | wagyu beef |
| 牛たんぎゅうたん · gyūtan | beef tongue |
| 闘牛とうぎゅう · tōgyū | bullfighting |
うし (ushi)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 牛うし · ushi | cow; cattle |
| 子牛こうし · koushi | calf |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 朝は牛乳を飲みます。Asa wa gyūnyū o nomimasu.I drink milk in the morning.
- お昼は牛丼にしましょう。O-hiru wa gyūdon ni shimashō.Let's have beef bowls for lunch.
- お客様を和牛の店に案内しました。Okyakusama o wagyū no mise ni annai shimashita.I took the client to a wagyu restaurant.
- 仙台で牛たんを食べました。Sendai de gyūtan o tabemashita.I ate beef tongue in Sendai.
- 牧場で牛を見ました。Bokujō de ushi o mimashita.I saw cows at the farm.
- この牛肉は国産です。Kono gyūniku wa kokusan desu.This beef is from Japan.
Questions about 牛
How many strokes does 牛 have?
牛 is written in 4 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 牛?
The on readings are gyuu (ギュウ). The kun readings are ushi (うし).
What is 和牛?
和牛 (wagyū) means Japanese cattle breeds. Wagyu beef is known for its marbling, and famous brands are named after regions, such as Kobe and Matsusaka.
What JLPT level is 牛?
N4. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N4 is designed to match the former Level 3.
More JLPT N4 kanji
Food, animals and nature
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 牛
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.