牛柳

niúliǔ

noun

Measure Word

一块牛柳 kuài

Meanings

1 beef tenderloin; beef fillet
2 (by extension) thin strips of beef in stir-fries

Characters

willow; (cuisine) strip

Examples

黑椒牛柳是西餐厅的招牌菜。

Hēijiāo niúliǔ shì xīcāntīng de zhāopái cài.

Black-pepper beef tenderloin is the restaurant's signature dish.

牛柳要嫩才好吃。

Niúliǔ yào nèn cái hǎochī.

Beef tenderloin tastes good only when it's tender.

Tips

memory

柳 (willow) lent its name to the cut because tenderloin strips are long, slender and pliable like willow leaves. Same logic for 鸡柳 jīliǔ (chicken tenders) and 鱼柳 yúliǔ (fish fingers / fish strips).

Stroke Order

牛 niú

柳 liǔ