牛奶

• Pinyin: niú nǎi
• Hanzi breakdown: 牛 = pictograph of an ox head with horns; 奶 = 女 (woman) + 乃 (phonetic component)

Meaning

Milk. The standard word for cow's milk, one of the most common beverages.

Refers specifically to cow's milk. Used widely in daily life when talking about breakfast, drinks, or shopping. The word literally means 'cow milk' — 牛 (cow) + 奶 (milk). Other types of milk use different prefixes, like 豆奶 (soy milk).

Examples

1. 我每天早上喝牛奶。 I drink milk every morning.
2. 妈妈买了两瓶牛奶。 Mom bought two bottles of milk.
3. 你喜欢喝牛奶吗？ Do you like drinking milk?

Usage Guide

Context: food, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我想喝一杯牛奶。(I'd like to drink a glass of milk.)
• 冰箱里还有牛奶。(There's still milk in the fridge.)

Don't Say

• 我要喝一个牛奶。(Don't use 个 as the measure word for milk — use 杯 for a glass or 瓶 for a bottle)

Origin & History

A compound of 牛 (cow/cattle) and 奶 (milk/breast), literally 'cow milk.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal