Question 1

What does 熊猫 mean in Chinese?

Accepted Answer

熊猫 (xióngmāo) is the Chinese word for panda, specifically the giant panda (大熊猫 dà xióngmāo), China's national symbol and most famous animal. The compound literally reads 'bear cat' (熊 'bear' + 猫 'cat'), reflecting its bear-like body and cat-like face. The red panda is 小熊猫 (xiǎo xióngmāo). Two cultural notes English speakers should know.

First, the giant panda is treated as a national treasure (国宝 guóbǎo) and appears constantly in zoos, conservation news, and diplomacy ('panda diplomacy'). Second, in Taiwan and some older texts the order is sometimes reversed as 貓熊 (māoxióng); mainland standard is 熊猫. The word is everyday and neutral — children learn it early and adults use it without any change in register.

Question 2

How do you pronounce 熊猫?

Accepted Answer

熊猫 is pronounced xióngmāo — 熊 (xióng), 猫 (māo).

Question 3

Is 熊猫 a noun, verb, or something else?

Accepted Answer

熊猫 is a noun, register: neutral.

Question 4

What is the measure word for 熊猫?

Accepted Answer

Use 只 (zhī). Example: 一只熊猫 — standard measure word for animals. Other measure words: 头 (tóu).

Question 5

What's the difference between 熊猫 and 猫熊?

Accepted Answer

猫熊 is the Taiwan-standard order of the same word. Both refer to the panda; mainland speakers will understand but use 熊猫.

Question 6

What's the difference between 熊猫 and 熊?

Accepted Answer

熊 alone means 'bear' (brown bear, polar bear, etc.). 熊猫 is specifically the panda. Saying 熊 in a zoo doesn't mean panda.

熊猫

What does 熊猫 mean?

Character breakdown

Measure word for 熊猫

Example sentences

Common phrases with 熊猫

Synonyms

Don't confuse 熊猫 with

FAQ

Hear 熊猫 in real Chinese, not in a flashcard.