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熊猫 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
熊猫xióngmāopandaHSK 3, nr, 25 strokes, rank #7456, Medium
xióngmāo(xiong2mao1)xiong mao T2
  1. 1panda
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March 24, 2026

熊猫(熊貓)xióngmāo(xiong2mao1)

熊猫 (xióngmāo) refers to the giant panda, a bear species native to China, known for its distinctive black and white coloring. Pandas are often associated with conservation efforts and are a symbol of wildlife preservation, commonly featured in zoos and media worldwide.

Strokes25Frequency#7456DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

The giant panda is a national symbol of China and is often used in diplomacy, known as 'panda diplomacy,' where pandas are gifted to other countries as a gesture of goodwill.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant bear (熊) eating bamboo (竹) while wearing a black and white costume. The 'xiong' sounds like 'strong,' reminding you of its bear nature, and 'mao' resembles 'meow,' like a cat, but it's a big bear that looks cute and cuddly.

Meanings of 熊猫

xióngmāo(xiong2mao1)
1panda
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 熊猫

熊猫Simplified
熊貓Traditional
25Strokes
—Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#7456Frequency Rank
只Measure Word
HSK 2.0L3TOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 熊猫

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Podcast: 熊猫

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AI Study Notes for 熊猫

Quick Contrast

大熊猫 (dàxióngmāo) refers specifically to the giant panda, while 熊猫 (xióngmāo) can refer to any panda, including the red panda; use 大熊猫 for clarity when discussing the giant species.

Usage Notes

Be careful with the tones: 'xiong' (熊) means bear, while 'mao' (猫) means cat, so mispronouncing the tones can lead to confusion. The word is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, such as in conversation about wildlife or in educational materials.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 3 word, 熊猫 connects to other animal-related vocabulary like 兔子 (tùzi - rabbit) and 狼 (láng - wolf). Students should focus on pronunciation and be able to use it in simple sentences to describe animals.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 熊猫 with other animals due to the 'mao' part, mistakenly saying 猫 (cat) instead of panda. Correctly using 熊猫 ensures clarity about which animal is being referred to.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 熊猫

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Component Characters

熊xióngbear
HSK 414 strokes灬
View full entry
猫māocat
HSK 111 strokes犭
View full entry

How to say panda in Chinese

“panda” in Chinese is熊猫xióngmāo

熊猫 (xióngmāo) refers to the giant panda, a bear species native to China, known for its distinctive black and white coloring. Pandas are often associated with conservation efforts and are a symbol of wildlife preservation, commonly featured in zoos and media worldwide.

When to use 熊猫

Be careful with the tones: 'xiong' (熊) means bear, while 'mao' (猫) means cat, so mispronouncing the tones can lead to confusion. The word is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, such as in conversation about wildlife or in educational materials.

熊猫 or something close to it

大熊猫 (dàxióngmāo) refers specifically to the giant panda, while 熊猫 (xióngmāo) can refer to any panda, including the red panda; use 大熊猫 for clarity when discussing the giant species.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 熊猫 with other animals due to the 'mao' part, mistakenly saying 猫 (cat) instead of panda. Correctly using 熊猫 ensures clarity about which animal is being referred to.

Write 熊猫

熊
猫

Practice writing 熊猫 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 熊猫

熊猫 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

竹笋是____的主要食物,这是人所共知的。

It is well known that bamboo shoots are a panda's staple diet.

Example Sentences for 熊猫 (3)

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1
竹笋是熊猫的主要食物,这是人所共知的。

zhú sǔn shì xióng māo de zhǔ yào shí wù, , zhè shì rén suǒ gòng zhī。

It is well known that bamboo shoots are a panda's staple diet.
2
熊猫每胎产仔一、二只.

xióng māo měi tāi chǎn zī yī、 、 èr.

Pandas have only one or two young at a birth.
3
人们也许还会说,熊猫又胖又懒!

rén mén yě xǔ huán huì shuō, , xióng māo yòu pàng yòu!

One might say that the giant panda is fat and lazy!

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Frequently Asked Questions about 熊猫

熊猫 primarily eats bamboo, which makes up about 99% of its diet.

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