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牛奶 (niú nǎi) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 1

牛奶 (niú nǎi) is a Chinese word: milk. This page shows its pinyin, translation, example sentences, character breakdown, decomposition, and HSK level.

Meaning of 牛奶

名 míng noun

milk

我每天早上喝牛奶。

wǒ měi tiān zǎo shang hē niú nǎi

I drink milk every morning.

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Word breakdown

牛 niú — cow, specifies the animal source

Words with this character (3)
  • 1 牛仔裤 niú zǎi kù — jeans HSK 5
    • 牛 cow/cattle (referring to durable denim material)
    • 仔 boy/worker (cowboy, referring to Western workwear origin)
    • 裤 pants/trousers (the garment type)
    Example

    我买了一条新牛仔裤。

    wǒ mǎi le yì tiáo xīn niú zǎi kù

    I bought a new pair of jeans.

  • 2 吹牛 chuī niú — to brag HSK 7
    • 吹 to blow (metaphorically speaking)
    • 牛 cow (forms idiomatic expression with 吹)
    Example

    他总是吹牛说自己很厉害。

    tā zǒng shì chuī niú shuō zì jǐ hěn lì hai

    He always brags that he's very capable.

  • 3 对牛弹琴 duì niú tán qín — to cast pearls before swine HSK 7
    • 对 toward/to (indicates the target or recipient)
    • 牛 cow/ox (the uncomprehending audience in the metaphor)
    • 弹 to play (a stringed instrument)
    • 琴 stringed instrument/lute (the refined art being wasted)
    Example

    你跟他讲这些高深的理论，简直是对牛弹琴。

    nǐ gēn tā jiǎng zhè xiē gāo shēn de lǐ lùn jiǎn zhí shì duì niú tán qín

    Explaining these profound theories to him is like casting pearls before swine.

奶 nǎi — milk, the dairy substance

Words with this character (5)
Structure & writing
1 牛 niú — cow; ox; bull (large hoofed ruminant mammal with horns and a tufted tail, used for labor, milk, or meat)
牛 is a component in 13 characters
HSK 1
件 jiàn measure word for individual items 半 bàn one half; half (used before the measure word when there is no whole number, or after when there is)
HSK 2
告 gào to tell, inform, or announce something to others
HSK 3
物 wù thing; object; matter 特 tè special, unusual, extraordinary 解 jiě to split open; to separate
HSK 6
牢 láo (lit.) pen or enclosure for livestock or wild animals 牵 qiān to lead or pull along
HSK 7
牡 mǔ male (of birds and animals, opposite of 牝) 牧 mù to herd (livestock or poultry) outdoors to graze or roam 牲 shēng livestock (cattle, horses, donkeys, mules); in ancient times, sacrificial animals (cattle, sheep, pigs) 牺 xī (lit.) sacrificial animal of pure coat color 犀 xī rhinoceros

牛 is an atomic character — it does not decompose further.

Stroke order

2 奶 nǎi — breast; mammary gland

奶 is not used as a component in any other character.

consists of

2.1 女 nǚ — female (opposite of 男)
女 is a component in 54 characters
HSK 1
奶 nǎi breast; mammary gland 她 tā she; her (third-person feminine pronoun) 好 hǎo good; satisfactory (opposite of 坏) 妈 mā mom; mother (reduplicated form) 妹 mèi younger sister (by blood or same generation)
Show more HSK 1 characters (+2)
姐 jiě older sister 要 yào important; significant
HSK 2
妻 qī wife (opposite of 夫) 始 shǐ beginning; start; initial (opposite of '末'/'终') 姓 xìng surname; family name
HSK 3
如 rú to suit; to follow; in accordance with 姨 yí maternal aunt (mother's sister); respectful term for women of one's mother's generation 婚 hūn to marry; for a man and woman to become husband and wife 安 ān safe, secure; opposite of '危' 接 jiē to approach; to come into contact with
HSK 4
姑 gū father's sister; aunt 娘 niáng (colloq.) mother
HSK 5
妇 fù married woman; general term for woman 姥 lǎo maternal grandfather (see 姥爷) 姿 zī appearance; looks 威 wēi authority or power that commands awe and respect 娱 yú joyful; happy
Show more HSK 5 characters (+2)
婆 pó old woman (often reduplicated) 媒 méi matchmaker; person who arranges marriages
HSK 6
妆 zhuāng to put on makeup; to adorn oneself with cosmetics 妙 miào beautiful; fine 妨 fáng to hinder, obstruct (连~碍) 委 wěi winding, tortuous; euphemistic 姻 yīn marriage
Show more HSK 6 characters (+7)
娃 wá child; infant 娶 qǔ to take a wife; to marry (of a man, opposite of 嫁) 婴 yīng infant, newborn baby 媳 xí daughter-in-law, son's wife 嫁 jià (of a woman) to marry, get married (opposite of 娶) 嫌 xián suspicion; grounds for suspicion 宴 yàn to host a banquet; to feast together
HSK 7
奴 nú slave (person oppressed, exploited, and controlled in old society) 奸 jiān hypocritical and cunning 妄 wàng absurd, irrational, wild 妒 dù to envy; to be jealous of someone superior 妖 yāo demon; monster; supernatural creature in myths and legends
Show more HSK 7 characters (+13)
妥 tuǒ appropriate; suitable 姆 mǔ nanny; person hired to care for children, the elderly, or manage household affairs, usually female (see "保姆") 姜 jiāng ginger plant (perennial herb with lance-shaped leaves and yellow-green flowers, rarely blooming) 娇 jiāo delicate, beautiful, and lovely (of women, children, flowers, etc.) 婉 wǎn indirect and gentle in expression 婪 lán greedy; insatiably covetous of wealth 婿 xù husband 媚 mèi beautiful; lovely 嫂 sǎo elder brother's wife; sister-in-law 嫉 jí to envy; to be jealous of someone better than oneself 嫩 nèn tender, delicate (of young growth); opposite of "老" 嬉 xī (lit.) to play; to frolic 耍 shuǎ to play; to have fun
2.2 乃 nǎi — is; namely; indeed is (expressing judgment)
乃 is a component in 7 characters
HSK 1
奶 nǎi breast; mammary gland
HSK 4
仍 réng still; as before; unchanged 扔 rēng to throw, to fling (with the arm) 秀 xiù (of plants) to put forth flowers or ears, especially crops
HSK 6
孕 yùn pregnancy 携 xié to carry with one; to bring along
HSK 7
盈 yíng to be full; to fill up

Stroke order