牛
うし
hepburn ushi
cow, cattle
Part of speech · noun
Pattern visualization
Examples
- 牧場で牛を見ました。I saw cows at the ranch.
- 牛肉が好きです。I like beef.
Collocations
牛 (ushi, cow / bull / cattle)牛肉 (gyuuniku, beef)牛乳 (gyuunyuu, milk)牛丼 (gyuudon, beef bowl)和牛 (wagyuu, Japanese beef brand)
Mnemonic
牛 ushi — onyomi ぎゅう (gyuu): 牛肉 (gyuuniku, beef), 牛乳 (gyuunyuu, milk), 牛丼 (gyuudon, beef bowl). Kun うし (ushi) is the standalone word. 和牛 (wagyuu, "Japanese beef") brand wraps premium regional grades — 神戸牛, 松阪牛, 近江牛 — into a luxury system that propels agriculture, gastronomy, and export. The A5 grade is a global luxury-food signifier. The kanji 牛 still shows the two-horned cow head of oracle bones.
Quick check
Global market position of the 和牛 brand?