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牛

牛 — cow

Learn the correct stroke order for 牛 (cow), a 4-stroke kanji.

JLPT N4Grade 24 strokes

Stroke Order

1234
Stroke 0 / 4
On'yomi (音読み)ギュウgyuu
Kun'yomi (訓読み)うしushi
Strokes4
Radical牛
Frequency#1202
Meaningscow

Step-by-Step Diagram

1
2
3
4

Try Writing It

Practice writing each stroke in the correct order and direction. Start from the green dot.

Draw stroke 1 of 4 — start from the green dot

Common Words

牛舎ぎゅうしゃcow shed; cattle barnnoun
牛肉ぎゅうにくbeefnoun
牛乳ぎゅうにゅう(cow's) milknoun
水牛すいぎゅうwater buffalo (Bubalus bubalis); domestic Asian water buffalonoun
和牛わぎゅうWagyu (any of four breeds of Japanese cattle); Wagyu beefnoun
子牛こうしcalfnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 牛 (cow) is taught in grade 2 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N4 level. It has 4 strokes with radical 牛.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 牛 is #1202, making it a moderately common kanji.

Example Words in Context

牛舎ぎゅうしゃ — cow shed; cattle barn
牛肉ぎゅうにく — beef
牛乳ぎゅうにゅう — (cow's) milk

Practice Sheet

Trace then write on your own. Print this row as a PDF practice sheet.

Related Kanji

Same radical (牛)

物thing牧breed牲animal sacrifice特special犠sacrifice

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 牛 have?

The kanji 牛 (cow) has 4 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 牛?

牛 follows the standard Japanese stroke order as taught in schools. Use the step-by-step diagram or the "Try Writing" tool above to practice each stroke in sequence.

What does 牛 mean?

牛 means: cow. On'yomi readings: ギュウ. Kun'yomi readings: うし.

What JLPT level is 牛?

牛 is a JLPT N4 kanji. This is a beginner-level kanji.