牛
The 牛 radical
Ox, cow
Variants: 牜
Memory hook
An ox's head with a pair of horns
The 牛 radical (read niú) means ox, cow. The HSK 3.0 data contains 9 characters and 78 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 牛 radical
Study this radical's 78 words with flashcards or a quiz.
The free plan drills 15 words per radical. Upgrade to Premium
Characters with the 牛 radical
9 charactersHSK 1· 1 characters
HSK 1牛
ox; cow; cattle
HSK 2· 2 characters
HSK 2物
thing; object
特
especially; very
HSK 6· 4 characters
HSK 6牢
firm, sturdy, secure
牲
sacrificial animal; offering
牵
to lead, to pull along
牺
sacrificial animal
HSK 7-9· 2 characters
HSK 7-9牡
male, the male (of animals)
牧
to herd, to tend (livestock)
Vocabulary with the 牛 radical
78 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 牛 radical, ordered by HSK level.
The free plan shows 9 words per HSK level (45/78 words of this radical).
milk, cow's milk
animal
zoo
special; especially
characteristic; feature
gift; present
food
ox; cow; cattle
distinctive feature; characteristic
thing, object
plant
model (fashion)
special price, promotional price
characteristic, sign
special
unique, distinctive
medicine, drug
to shop, to go shopping
character, figure
museum
jeans
property, real estate
prices, commodity prices
material
specific
attribute
characteristic of
dairy cow
household pet
firm, sturdy, secure
item; article; object
to lead, to pull along
especially; very
specially; on purpose
extra large; jumbo size
express; super-fast
to correct a mistake before it's too late
product, produce
crops, farm produce
agricultural crop (general term for plants grown to harvest agricultural products such as wheat, corn, soybeans, etc.)
publication, printed material
mascot
to boast, to brag
strange, peculiar
physical object, actual item
Why learn vocabulary by the 牛 radical?
The 牛 radical hints at the meaning ox, cow. When you meet an unfamiliar character carrying it, you already know part of its meaning before reaching for a dictionary — which is why learners who know their radicals move faster.
How to study: read the memory hook, skim the 9 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 78 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.