bull

Cattle, or cows (female) and bulls (male), are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates [有蹄类动物]. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae [牛亚科], are the most widespread species of the genus Bos [牛属], and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos taurus [牛属金牛].

A bull is an intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male of the species Bos taurus. More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species, the cows, bulls have long been an important symbol in many cultures, and play a significant role in beef ranching, dairy farming, and a variety of other cultural activities, including bull fighting and bull riding.

The female counterpart to a bull is a cow, while a male of the species that has been castrated is a steer, ox, or bullock, although in North America, this last term refers to a young bull, and in Australia to a draught animal. Use of these terms varies considerably with area and dialect. Colloquially, people unfamiliar with cattle may refer to both castrated and intact animals as "bulls". 桑德拉·安妮特·布洛克（Sandra Annette Bullock，1964年7月26日－）是美国电影女演员。

The word "bull" also denotes the males of other bovines, including bison and water buffalo, as well as many other species of large animals, including elephants, rhinos, seals and walruses, hippos, camels, giraffes, elk, moose, whales, and antelopes. 大象、犀牛、海豹和海象、河马、骆驼、长颈鹿、麋鹿、驼鹿、鲸鱼和羚羊。

Adult bulls may weigh between 500 and 1,000 kg (1,100 and 2,200 lb). Most are capable of aggressive behavior and require careful handling to ensure safety of humans and other animals. Those of dairy breeds may be more prone to aggression, while beef breeds are somewhat less aggressive, though beef breeds such as the Spanish Fighting Bull and related animals are also noted for aggressive tendencies, which are further encouraged by selective breeding.

Sacred bulls have held a place of significance in human culture since before the beginning of recorded history. They appear in cave paintings estimated to be up to 17,000 years old. The mythic Bull of the Heavens plays a role in the ancient Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh, dating as far back as 2150 BC. The importance of the bull is reflected in its appearance in the zodiac as Taurus, and its numerous appearances in mythology, where it is often associated with fertility. See also Korban. In Hinduism, a bull named Nandi, usually depicted seated, is worshipped as the vehicle of the god Shiva and depicted on many of the images of that deity.

外行观点：

• 黄牛，cattle, 统称
  • Northern Yellow cattle, Bos taurus taurus
  • Southern Yellow cattle, Bos taurus indicus
  • Central Plains Yellow cattle
• 水牛, Water Buffalo, Bubalus bubalis
• 牦牛, wild yak, Bos mutus或Bos grunniens，属于牛属还是牦牛属尚无定论

中国的黄牛大约有25种，排在前五名的有：秦川牛、南阳牛、鲁西牛、延边牛和晋南牛，合称为中国五大良种黄牛。延边黄牛体格壮硕，适应性强，耐寒性强，肉质软嫩适口，味道鲜美，可媲美日本和牛和韩国韩牛，在国内外市场享有较高的声誉，是延边人民培育出的宝贵优良畜禽品种，并已形成具有地方特色的优势产业。

...the East Asian taurine group was introduced to North China at least ~3,900 BP, and it became widespread all over northern China, the Tibetan Plateau, Korea, Japan...

...The initials 'BP' stand for 'years before present'. The use of BP by archaeologists, geologists, and other scientists, refers to radiocarbon ages and results from other radiometric dating techniques. Radiometric dating techniques are those that provide absolute dates based on the decay of radioactive isotopes. 首字母“BP”代表“现在之前的几年”。考古学家、地质学家和其他科学家使用BP是指放射性碳年龄和其他放射性测年技术的结果。放射性定年技术是根据放射性同位素的衰变提供绝对日期的技术。

六级/考研单词: cattle, bull, prominent, classify, intact, dairy, counterpart, steer, ox, draught, dialect, denote, buffalo, seal, weigh, prone, farther, sacred, cave, epic, seldom, fertile, depict, worship, plateau, geology, decay, radioactive