牛niú

Modern simplified form (簡體). 牛 (niú, "cow") is a pictograph of a cow's head, with the curved horns and snout drawn in a single elegant stroke. This ancient symbol serves as the radical for many livestock-related characters, including 牦 (yak), 牧 (herd), and 牵 (to pull). The simplified form retains the same shape as the traditional character, preserving a visual link to its origins in Bronze Age inscriptions.