牛柳 (niúliǔ) · beef tenderloin; beef fillet

Measure Word

一块牛柳 kuài

Meanings

1 beef tenderloin; beef fillet
2 thin strips of beef in stir-fries

About the ingredient

The long, lean muscle inside a cow's loin, the most tender cut, with no fat or sinew. It is stir-fried quickly, served sizzling on an iron plate, or cooked as fillet steak.

Also called 牛里脊

Used in 3 dishes

杭椒牛柳 hángjiāo niúliǔ

黑椒牛柳 hēijiāo niúliǔ

中式牛柳 zhōngshì niúliǔ

Characters

willow; (cuisine) strip

Examples

HSK 7-9

黑椒牛柳是西餐厅的招牌菜。

Hēijiāo niúliǔ shì xīcāntīng de zhāopáicài.

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

HSK 7-9

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 (chicken tenders) and 鱼柳 (fish fingers / fish strips).