牡 Strokes Write it Listen 牡 mǔ male animal; key, door bolt HSK 7–9 7 strokes Radical 牛 Sound + meaning 1 word Built from牛meaningniúox, cow, bull土soundtǔsoil, earth; items made of earth How it works牛 hints at the meaning (ox), and 土 tǔ hints at the sound.