母牛
mou⁵ ngau⁴
The English word "cow" is translated into Cantonese as 母牛 (mou⁵ ngau⁴). Wiktionary also lists 牛乸 (ngau⁴ naa²).
Meaning: adult female of species Bos taurus (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 母牛 | mou⁵ ngau⁴ |
| 牛乸 | ngau⁴ naa² |
Both forms refer to an adult female of the species Bos taurus.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 母牛 is composed of 母, meaning female and 牛, meaning cow or ox.
Which one should you use?
母牛 is a formal or descriptive term, whereas 牛乸 is the common colloquial way to refer to a female cow in Cantonese.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the colloquial term 牛乸, the character 乸 is a suffix used specifically to denote a female animal.
How do you pronounce it?
mou⁵ ngau⁴
Did you know?
- The phrase 牛氣哄哄 is used to describe someone who is acting very arrogant or boastful, literally meaning 'full of cow energy'.
- The character 牛 is a pictograph that originally depicted the head of an ox with its horns, showing how the written language evolved from direct imagery.
- In certain Cantonese dialects or older registers, the word for cow can be used metaphorically to describe someone who is extremely stubborn or slow-witted.
Examples in context
- 嗰隻母牛好肥。go2 zek3 mou5 ngau4 hou2 fei4.That cow is very fat.
- 我哋需要買一隻母牛。ngo5 dei6 seoi1 jiu3 maai5 jat1 zek3 mou5 ngau4.We need to buy a cow.
- 呢隻母牛生咗隻牛仔。ni1 zek3 mou5 ngau4 saang1 zo2 zek3 ngau4 zai2.This cow gave birth to a calf.
Example conversation
A farmer and a customer are talking at a livestock market.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung呢隻母牛幾多錢？ni1 zek3 mou5 ngau4 gei2 do1 cin2?How much is this cow?
- 志強 Chi Keung呢隻母牛唔平呀。ni1 zek3 mou5 ngau4 m4 ping4 aa3.This cow is not cheap.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung佢有冇病呀？keoi5 jau5 mou6 bing6 aa3?Is she sick?
- 志強 Chi Keung佢好健康呀。keoi5 hou2 gin6 hong1 aa3.She is very healthy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cow” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
