01
der Stier
bull
An adult male bovine animal.
example
Der Bauer führte den kräftigen Stier auf die Weide.
The farmer led the powerful bull out to the pasture.
der Stier
bull / Taurus
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Context clue
You can tell from the context whether the animal or the zodiac sign is meant. Words like 'Horoskop' (horoscope), 'Sternzeichen' (zodiac sign), or 'geboren sein' (to be born) clearly point to the astrological meaning. In agricultural or biological contexts, the animal is meant.
EXAMPLE
Auf dem Bauernhof nebenan gibt es Kühe und einen großen Stier.
On the farm next door, there are cows and a large bull.
Word formation
'Stier' (bull) is the base word for other terms related to the animal. A well-known example is 'Stierkampf' (bullfight), the fight between a person and a bull.
EXAMPLE
In Spanien sind Stierkämpfe eine umstrittene Tradition.
In Spain, bullfighting is a controversial tradition.
Fixed idiom
The idiom 'den Stier bei den Hörnern packen' (to take the bull by the horns) is a fixed unit. It is used to express that someone accepts a challenge bravely and directly instead of hesitating.
EXAMPLE
Statt uns weiter zu beschweren, sollten wir den Stier bei den Hörnern packen und eine Lösung finden.
Instead of continuing to complain, we should take the bull by the horns and find a solution.
Compare with
Stier vs Kuh
cow
'Kuh' and 'Stier' both refer to adult bovine animals, but they are opposites in terms of sex. A 'Kuh' is female; a 'Stier' is male. Learners may confuse the words because the animals look similar and often appear in the same context, for example on a farm. For the animal that gives milk, you say 'Kuh'. For an adult male bovine, you say 'Stier'.
Stier
Der Stier stand allein auf der Weide und wirkte sehr kräftig.
The bull stood alone in the pasture and looked very powerful.
Kuh
Das Kind gab der Kuh im Stall vorsichtig etwas Heu.
The child carefully gave the cow some hay in the stable.
In real life
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