牛ぎゅう後ご

noun

cow's rump

Literal meaning, rarely used outside the idiom 鶏口牛後 (better to be the head of a chicken than the rear end of a cow).

• 「牛ぎゅう後ご」は文も字じ通どおり牛うしの尻しりを指さすが、単たん独どくで使つかわれることはほとんどない。

  牛後 literally means a cow's rump, but it is almost never used by itself.

noun

low-ranking member of a large group; small fish in a big pond

Figurative use, always in the context of the proverb 鶏口となるも牛後となるなかれ (rather be the head of a chicken than the tail of a cow). Implies being an insignificant follower in a large organization.

See also: 鶏口 · 鶏口牛後 (けいこうぎゅうご)

• 大だい企き業ぎょうで牛ぎゅう後ごになるより、小ちいさくても鶏けい口こうを目め指ざしたい。

  Rather than being a small fish in a big company, I'd rather aim to be a big fish in a small one.