小牛
xiǎoniú
In Chinese, the English word calf is translated as 小牛 (xiǎoniú). If unsure, use 小牛. Wiktionary also lists 犢 / 犊 (dú) and 牛犢 / 牛犊 (niúdú).
Meaning: young cow or bull (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 小牛 | xiǎoniú |
| 犢 / 犊 | dú |
| 牛犢 / 牛犊 | niúdú |
The term is used to refer to a young cow or bull. The phrase 牛犊 is often used in idiomatic expressions or metaphors to describe youth or vigor, such as in the phrase 牛犊闯天下 (niúdú chuǎng tiānxià), meaning a young person venturing into the world with great energy.
What does it mean word for word?
The common term 小牛 is composed of 小 (small/little) and 牛 (cow/ox).
Which one should you use?
牛犊 is a more formal or literary term for a calf compared to the common 小牛.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization for 小牛 is xiǎoniú.
Did you know?
- In some traditional contexts, describing someone as having the spirit of a 牛犊 implies a lack of fear that comes from not yet knowing the dangers of the world.
- Some scholars have proposed that the word for calf could be a loanword from Mongolic or Tungusic languages, though this is a debated theory.
Examples in context
- 應該將小牛從母牛身邊帶開。The calf should be separated from its mother.Tatoeba #2757051 by cienias, translation #2761814 by Trailsend
- 新生小牛跟不上逃离美洲虎的牛群。The newborn calf couldn't catch up with the herd running from the jaguar.Tatoeba #13104188 by maina, translation #3527120 by VilhelmsPort
- 在农场里，你可以看到很多小牛。You can see many calves on the farm.
- 这家农场有很多幼畜，包括小牛、小羊和小马。This farm has many young livestock, including calves, lambs, and foals.
- 看那可爱的牛宝宝！Look at that adorable calf!
- 那只小奶牛正在吃草。The young milk calf is eating grass.
- 那頭小牛非常可愛。Nà tóu xiǎoniú fēicháng kě'ài.That calf is very cute.
Example conversation
Zihan and Wei are visiting a farm together.
- 梓涵 Zihan你看，那是隻小牛嗎？Nǐ kàn, nà shì zhī xiǎoniú ma?Look, is that a calf?
- 伟 Wei是的，它剛出生不久。Shì de, tā gāng chūshēng bùjiǔ.Yes, it was born recently.
- 梓涵 Zihan我可以餵這隻小牛嗎？Wǒ kěyǐ wèi zhè zhī xiǎoniú ma?Can I feed this calf?
- 伟 Wei得先問問農場主人。Děi xiān wènwen nóngchǎng zhǔrén.We have to ask the farm owner first.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “calf” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 犢, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
