We all know that 2021 is the Year of Ox. Since this animal plays an important role in ancient Chinese agriculture production and daily life, the image of ox has become an essential part of national culture that contains rich significance.
In additional to referring to the animal, the word “牛” has positive meanings such as diligence, kindness, loyalty, honesty and strength; as well as something not that great like obstinacy, clumsiness, inferiority and monstrosity. How many words do you know that is related to “牛”?
1. 牛 niú
Here it is an adjective to describe someone who is awesome that impressed you a lot.
Nǐ tài niú le！
你太牛了！
You rock!
2. 吹牛（皮） chuī niú (pí)
A common saying which means bragging about, or the words said are merely exaggeration. It can also refer to free chatting.
Tā ài chuīniú，suǒyǐ dàjiā dōu bù xiāngxìn tā shuō de huà。
他爱吹牛，所以大家都不相信他说的话。
He loves boasting so that no one believes his words.
3. 牛市 niú shì
Literally “bull market”, a term used for the phenomenon of prices having been rising more for period of long time instead of dropping in stock market.
2021nián zhōngguó gǔpiào huì yínglái niúshì ma？
2021年中国股票会迎来牛市吗？
Will Chinese stocks greet a bull market in 2021?
4. 钻牛角尖 zuān niú jiǎo jiān
Metaphorically refer to someone who tends to stubbornly dig into something not worth further discussion and being inflexible.
Zuòshì yào liúyǒuyúdì，bié lǎo zuān niújiǎojiān。
做事要留有余地，别老钻牛角尖。
Leave some leeway to do things, don’t be over stubborn.
5. 牛气冲天 niú qì chōng tiān
It is used for saying something going up in good trend, like business is flourishing and prosperous. A good word especially for wishing other people in the year of ox!
Zhù nǐ zài xīnde yìnián lǐ shìyè fāzhǎn niúqìchōngtiān！
祝你在新的一年里事业发展牛气冲天！
Wish you have a flourishing business in the new year!
6. 小试牛刀 xiǎo shì niú dāo
The proverb means trying one’s hand at, or displaying only a small part of one’s talent before showing great ability.
Zhègè xiàngmù zhǐbúguò shì tā xiǎoshìniúdāo éryǐ。
这个项目只不过是他小试牛刀而已。
This project is just a trial for him.
7. 对牛弹琴 duì niú tán qín
When you talk to someone who does not know what you are saying, you are like playing a musical instrument to a cow as it will not give you feedback.
Gēn tā shuōle bàntiān，tā jiùshì bùdǒng，jiǎnzhí duìniútánqín。
跟他说了半天，他就是不懂，简直对牛弹琴。
After talking to him for a long time, he just didn’t understand. I was like casting pearls before swine.
8. 九牛二虎之力 jiǔ niú èr hǔ zhī lì
Can you imagine the strength of nine oxen and two tigers? The idiom refers to great power and used in situations where it takes a lot effort to accomplish something.
Wǒ huāle jiǔniú èrhǔ zhī lì cái bǎ lǎobǎn bùzhì de rènwù wánchéng le。
我花了九牛二虎之力才把老板布置的任务完成了。
It costs me great efforts to finish the task assigned by my boss.
9. 风马牛不相及 fēng mǎ niú bù xiāng jí
This phrase is to say there is no relation between the things being discussed. Originated from Chinese history that the State of Qi and State of Chu are two different countries. One like ox walks downwind while the other like horse walks against wind.
Tāmen de xiǎngfǎ yú wǒmen de sīwéi fāngshì fēngmǎniú bùxiāngjí。
他们的想法与我们的思维方式风马牛不相及。
Their ideas are totally different from our way of thinking.
