牦牛 (máo niú) — yak | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

yak

Measure word · 头

牦牛。
Zhè zhǒng máo niú de máo kě yǐ yòng lái zuò zhàng peng.
This kind of yak hair can be used to make tents.
牦牛。
Xī zàng de máo niú niú nǎi yíng yǎng hěn fēng fù.
Tibetan yak milk is very nutritious.
牦牛。
Mù mín men yǎng le shàng bǎi tóu máo niú.
The herdsmen raise over a hundred yaks.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

牦máoyak

牦 specifies the kind, and 牛 gives the broad animal class, naming the yak.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

牛 is drawn as a bull's head, with two horns and two ears.