Animal Related Chinese Words

Animal related Chinese Words

Animals are closely related to the life of human beings. They have become an inseparable part of the lives of the Chinese people. As has been mentioned, people, at the Remote Ages in Chinese history, worshipped totems, and in the Chinese calendar, the year, the month, the day and the hours are all associated with 12 symbolic animals.

In fact, animal-related Chinese words, used in language, have always been culturally connotative. For example, in the Year of Dragon, or the Year of Tiger, people will say “生龙活虎” (sheng long huo hu, doughty as a dragon and lively as a tiger full of vim and vigor); in the Year of Horse, people will say “马到成功” (ma dao cheng gong, gain an immediate victory), etc. In these collocated sayings, the animal words “龙,虎,马” are used to describe what they really are, but they are more culturally meant and have become “culture words”. The reason is that, first, people usually described animals by their nature, but soon people associated psychological workings and the cultural practice with them. So, animal words have not only enriched the Chinese language but also have become an important part of Chinese culture.

(Also, refer to plant related Chinese words)

Dragon 龙

“龙” (long, dragon) is a fictitious animal and has a great influence on the Chinese people. At the Remote Ages, the dragon was the totem that the Han people had been worshiping. In their minds, the dragon was God, holy and sacred. It can command the rain and wind, ride on the mists and clouds. The dragon had long been considered the ancestor of the Han Nationality and the people are proud of being “龙的传人” (long de chuan ren, descendants of “dragon”).

It is said in the legend that there is a “东海龙王” (dong hai long wang, Dragon King in the East Sea, the God of Rain in Chinese mythology), who has a “龙宫” (Long gong, Palace of the Dragon King) called “水晶宫” (Shui jing gong, the Crystal Palace). The King is said to have a son called “龙太子", (Long tai zi), also called “苍龙” (Cang long, the Green Dragon) and a daughter called “龙女” (Long nv), or “玉龙” (yu long, the Jade Dragon). As the Dragon King lived under the sea and was able to exercise magic powers to summon wind and rain, people usually pray Him for rain and water when the weather was very dry. But when a flood occurs, people will also pray to Him to stop the disaster.

While Dragon King is supposed to dominate the Water World, his son Green Dragon is magic enough to make fire, and his daughter Jade dragon is able to make the sky snow.

Dragons are also considered as the symbol of luck and power. Emperors during ancient times called themselves “真龙天子” (the True Dragon; the Son of Heaven), and they were imaged as “dragons and were constantly worshiped. So the legend goes that, after his death, an emperor will become immortal and ride on a dragon towards Heaven.

In the Chinese language, an emperor is often associated with "龙". For example,

“龙颜” (long yan, facial features of the emperor),

“龙体” (long ti, the emperor’s health),

“龙床” (long chuang, the emperor’s bed),

“龙 袍” (long pao, yellow gown embroidered with dragons for an emperor), etc.

Since dragons are miraculous, magic and powerful creatures, worshiped even by emperors, Chinese people name many of the things they use with the word “龙”. For example,

“龙灯” (long deng, lamp),

“龙椅” (long yi, chair),

“龙杖” (long zhang, walking-stick),

“龙船” (long Chuan, boat),

“龙门” (long men, gate), etc.

Even “water tap” used in daily life is called “水龙头” (Shui long tou, the dragon’s head).

In addition, according to a Chinese Dictionary of Lexicography, more than 300 places in China are named “龙”. For example,

“青龙桥” (Qing Long Qiao, Green Dragon Bridge, in Beijing),

“龙泉” (Long Quan, Dragon Spring),

“卧龙宫”(Wo Long Gong, Sleeping Dragon Palace, in Zhejiang Province),

“龙宫洞” (long gong dong, Cave to Dragon Palace, in Mount Lushan in Jiangxi Province),

“龙首崖”(Long Shou Ya, Dragon Head Cliff, in Mount Lu Shan in Jiangxi Province), etc.

 “九龙” (Jiu Long, Nine Dragons, in Hong Kong.)

When celebrating important festivals, people will usually hold dragon dances (舞龙, (Wu-long). In Dragon boat Festival (usually on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month), people will hold dragon-boat races (赛龙舟, sai long zhou), an activity in commemorating Qu Yuan, one of the greatest poets in China’s history.

In China, many things’ names contain the character “龙”, For example:

(1), Animals

“龙虾” (long xia, lobster),

“地龙” (di long, earthworm),

“龙骨” (long gu, a bird’s sternum),

“龙風” (long shi, predacious diving beetle),

“小龙” (xiao long, snake);

(2), Plants or Fruits

“龙眼” (long yan, longan)

“龙须菜” (long xu cai, asparagus),

“龙须草” (long xu cao, Chinese alpine rush),

“龙爪槐” (jong zhua huai, Chinese pagoda tree),

“龙舌兰” (long she lan, maguey);

(3), Other Things

“龙须面” (long xu mian, dragon whiskers noodles - long, thin noodles) ,

“龙井茶” (long jing cha, Dragon Well Tea, a famous green tea produced in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province)

(4), Idiomatic Expressions

“龙吟虎嘯” (long yin hu xiao): dragons singing and tigers roaring (said of the howling wind, the roaring of waves, etc.)

“龙口夺粮” (long kou duo liang): snatch food from the dragon’s mouth - speed up the summer harvesting before the storm breaks

“龙潭虎穴” (long tan hu xue): a dragon’ pool and a tiger’s den - a dangerous spot

“龙腾虎跃” (long teng hu yue): dragons rising and tigers leaping - a scene of bustling activity

“龙争虎斗” (jong zheng hu dou): fighting between a tiger and a dragon - a fierce struggle between well-matched opponents

“龙蛇混杂” (dong she hun za): dragons and snakes jumbled together - good and bad people mixed up.

(5), Other Expressions (Figurative Use)

“玉龙” (yu long): a big snow

“火龙” (huo long): a big fire

“一条龙” (yi tiao long): a coordinated process

“鲍鱼跳龙门” (li yu tiao long men): carp leaping into the dragon’s gate - succeed in the imperial civil service examination

Phoenix 凤(凰)

The legend goes that “凤” (feng, Phoenix) is a magic bird. Because of its beautiful features, Phoenix has been called the “king of birds” and been considered the symbol of auspiciousness and power like the dragon. As a supernatural being, Phoenix has been the idols and the ideal image of artistic beauty. “凤” is also called “凤凰” (feng huang), in which “凤” is the male, and “凰” is the female. As was said in history, when Emperor “秦始皇” (Qin Shi Huang) reunified China, the flags raised in the army were “Phoenix” of emerald green. So “凤” and “龙” were of equal importance in the minds of people then. But since the Han Dynasty, “Phoenix” had always been ranked next to “dragon”, and become the special term for Queen. So, “凤驾” (feng jia, the Queen’s carriage) means “the queen’s esteem appearance before the public”. To show their admiration to Queens, there have been, among the people, paper-cuttings, embroidery paintings, and music about “百鸟朝凤” (bai niao chao feng, all birds paying homage to the phoenix - peace under a wise ruler).

In Chinese, there are many expressions about “凤” going together with “龙”. For example,

“龙飞凤舞” (long fei feng wu, like dragons flying and phoenixes dancing—lively and vigorous flourishes in calligraphy),

“龙凤呈祥” (long feng chen xiang, the dragon and the phoenix bringing prosperity - excellent good fortune ),

“龙肝凤胆” (long gan feng dan, rare delicacies), etc.

The following are some more expressions with “凤”:

“凤穴” (feng xue): distinguished people or exquisite objects gather together

“凤藻” (feng zao): flowery language

“凤毛麟角” (feng mao lin jiao): (precious and rare as) phoenix feathers and unicorn horns; rarity of rarities

“凤冠” (feng guan): phoenix coronet (worn by an empress or imperial concubine)

“凤梨” (feng li): pineapple (the plant and its fruit)

“凤尾鱼” (feng vuei yu): long-tailed anchovy, also called “鲚” (ji)

“凤凰座” (feng huang zuo): Phoenix

“凤凰竹” (feng huang zhu): hedge bamboo

“凤尾竹” (feng wei zhu): fernleaf hedge bamboo

“凤仙花” (feng xian hua): garden balsam

“鸡窝里飞出了金凤凰” (ji wo li fei chu le jin feng huang): a golden phoenix flying out of a henhouse - a person of humble origin rising to prominence.

Tiger (老)虎

“虎” (hu, tiger) and “獅” (shi, lion) have always been considered “the king of animals” by Chinese. According to history, the earliest lion in China comes from Persia (Iran today). Wild and ferocious as the lion is, big stone lions are often carved and put at the gateways of big stores, temples and palaces, etc. “to exorcise evil spirits”. Although lions are fearful, the Chinese find tigers more frightening, awesome and commanding than lions and any other animals. In their eyes, the tiger is the real king of all animals.

Tigers exist in China since a very early time, and there are varieties of them too. So, when people draw Tigers exist in China a long time ago, and there are many varieties of them. So, when people draw a picture of a tiger today, they are used to paint on the tiger forehead a word “王” (wang), meaning “king”. In the country of China today, villagers often hang a drawing of a tiger on the walls of their main room, as they believe the tiger can drive all evil spirits away.

Similarly, like the dragon, many places in China are named “虎”. For example,

“虎丘” (Hu Qiu, Tigers Hill, in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province),

“虎门” (Hu men”, Tiger’s Gate, in Guangdong Province),

“虎林” (Hu Ling, Tiger’s Forest, in Heilongjiang Province),

“虎跑泉” (Hu Pao Quan, Tiger racing Spring, in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province),

“威虎山” (Wei Hu Shan, Tiger’s Mountain, in Heilongjiang Province),

“虎牢关” (Hu Lao Guan, Tigers’ Pass, in Henan Province),

“卧虎寺” (Wo Hu Si, Sleeping-tiger Temple, in Mount E'mei in Sichuan Province), etc.

In daily language,”虎” has been used a lot to form many vivid useful expressions. Some of them are positive, and some are negative.

(1), Positive

“虎将” (hu jiang): a brave general

“虎威” (hu wei): valiant and awe-inspiring

“虎穴” (hu xue): tiger’s den - a clanger spot

“虎劲” (hu jin): dauntless drive

“虎势” (hu shi): strong

“虎彪彪” (hu biao biao): strong and vigorous; strapping

“虎背熊腰” (hu bei xiong yao): having a back like a tiger's and a waist like a bear -tough and stocky,

“虎头虎脑” (hu tou hu nao): (usu. of a boy) looking strong and good-natured

“虎蹈龙盘” (hu ju long pan): a coiling dragon and a crouching tiger -  a forbidding strategic point

“如虎添翼” (ru hu tian yi): like a tiger that Has grown wings - with might redoubled

“生龙活虎” (sheng long huo hu): Doughty as a dragon and lively as a tiger - full of vim and vigor

“藏龙卧虎”(cang long wo hu): a place where dragons and tigers are hiding - a place where people of unusual ability are to be found

“虎口拔牙” (hu kou ba ya): pull a tooth from the tiger's mouth—dare the greatest danger

“虎口余生” (hu kou yu sheng): be saved from the tiger's mouth—have a narrow escape from death

“如狼似虎” (ru lang si hu): as ferocious as wolves and tigers; like cruel beasts of prey

“九牛二虎之力” (jiu niu er hu zhi li): the strength of nine bulls and two tigers -tremendous efforts

“明知山有虎,偏向虎山行” (ming zhi shan you hu, pian xiang hu shan xing): go deep into the mountains, knowing well that there are tigers there  - go on undeterred by the dangers ahead.

(2) Negative

“虎狼” (hu lang): tiger and wolf - cruel and ruthless “虎口” (hu kou). Tiger’s mouth -jaws of death

“虎头蛇尾” (hu tou she voei): a tiger’s head and a snake’s tail - a fine start and a poor finish

“虎视耽耽” (hu shi dan dan): glare like a tiger eyeing its prey; eye menacingly

“狼吞虎咽” (Jang tun hu yan): wolf down/gobble up

“饿虎扑食” (E hu pu shi): like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey

“骑虎难下” (Qi hu nan xia): he, who rides a tiger is afraid to dismount - irrevocably committed

“谈虎色变” (Tan hu se bian): turn pale at the mention of the tiger—turn pale at the mere mention of something terrifying

“狐假虎威” (Hu jia hu vuei): the fox borrows the tiger's fierceness (by walking in the latter’s company—bully people by flaunting one’s powerful connections)

“老虎屁股摸不得” (Lao hu pi gu muo bu de): like a tiger whose backside no one dares to touch - not to be provoked

(3), Figurative Use

“电老虎” (Dian Lao hu): electricity (powerful enough to kill people)

“虎 口” (hu kou): part of the hand between the thumb and the index finger

“老虎掛” (Lao hu qian): vise

“秋老虎” (Qiu Lao hu): hot autumn (a spell of hot weather after the Beginning of Autumn “立秋”);

“爬山虎” (Pa shan hu): Boston ivy (hot.)

“坐山观虎斗” (Zuo shan guan hu dou): sit on top of the mountain to watch the tigers fight - watch in safety while others fight, then reap the spoils when both sides are exhausted

Horse 马

“马” (ma, horse) is one of the first animals raised and trained in ancient China. Horses are hardworking, loyal and devoted friends to human beings. In ancient China, the horse is not only an important tool at war but also an indispensable source of the labor force. Besides, the horse is also an important source of meat in people’s daily life.

Since the horse is so closely related to people, “马” is used to make many vivid expressions in the language, too. For example, “一马当先” (yi ma dang xian, gallop at the head - take the lead, be in the forefront). Like English, many words in Chinese are derived from “马”. For example, “千里马” (qian li ma, a “steed” ). It literally refers to “a winged steed that covers a thousand li a day”, but it implies more often today “the outstanding talents”. It is also called “骥” ji) in literature, so “骥子” (ji zi), “骥足” (ji zu) both refers to “an able and virtuous person”, and “骥路/途” (Ji lu/tu, the way, or road to that desired state) refers to the “bright and promising future”.“驹” (ju) is another name for horses, but it refers to “a young horse”, and has often been used figuratively to mean “young promising talents”. As has been mentioned in Chinese Names, many Han people like to have their names related to “马”. Even “曹操” (Cao Cao), a politician in the period of Three Kingdoms (三国, san guo, 220 A. D - 280 A. D. ), had a popular saying “老骥伏枥,志在千里” (lao ji fu li,zhi zai qian li ), meaning “an old steed in the stable still aspires to gallop a thousand li - an old hero still cherishes high aspirations”. So the horse is the animal that Chinese has been admiring and worshiping.

The following are some of the common expressions related to “马”,

“马夫” (ma fu): groom

“马掛” (ma gua): mandarin jacket (worn over a gown)

“马甲” (ma jia): a sleeveless garment

“马桶” (ma long): nightstool; closestool

“马力” (ma li): horsepower

“马大哈” (ma da ha): a careless person; scatterbrain

“马屁精” (ma pi jing): flatterer

“马后炮” (ma hou pao): belated action or advice; belated effort

“马不停蹄” (ma bu ting ti): a horse galloping - without a stop, nonstop

“龙马精神” (long ma jing shen): the spirit of a dragon horse (usu. said in praise of a vigorous old age)

“马到成功” (ma dao cheng gong): be victorious the moment the battle steeds arrive - win success upon arrival

“捅马蜂窝” (tong ma feng wo): stir up a hornet’s nest; bring a hornet nest about one’s ears

“马路新闻” (ma lu xin zuen): street-gossip; hearsay

“马马虎虎” (ma ma hu hu ): careless, casual; just so so

“人仰马翻” (ren yang ma fan ): men and horses thrown off their feet - badly battered, thrown into confusion.

In addition, “马” is sometimes used to mean “women” in either the East or West, in ancient times or even today. So “马子” (ma zi ) means “prostitute”, which is a saying understandably known to many people in different places in China.

Cattle 牛

Like the horse, “牛” (niu, cattle) are also raised, trained and have been used a lot in ancient China. Like the horse, “牛” (niu, cattle) is also a very faithful companion of ancient Chinese. To promote the development of agriculture and husbandry, cattle have often been used as the major means to help with farming, animal husbandry and other areas of work. So “牛车” (niu che, bullock cart) was then the main form of transportation. At that time, cattle were also the main source of meat for people, and cattle-slaughter was even a prevailing profession then. In addition, cattle, along with pig, sheep, etc. were the main tribute offered as a sacrifice to God and ancestors.

In Chinese, expressions with “牛” are many and are often used figuratively. But many of the expressions are naturally related to the characteristics of “牛” - its strength, power, and stubbornness. For example, “牛力气” (niu li qi, strength), “牛脾气” (niu pi qi, stubbornness), etc.

A very interesting word is “牛刀” (niudao, ox-cleaver), which is usually bigger in size than ordinary knives. It always implies “大本领”, (da ben ling, great skills or abilities). The sayings “割鸡焉用牛刀” (ge ji yan yong niu dao, why to use ox-cleaver to kill a chicken/why break a butterfly on the wheel), “牛刀小试” (niu dao xiao shi, a master hand’s first small display) are commonly used.

Cattle are always used to do heavy labor. So the expression “做牛做马” (zuo niu zuo ma ) often negatively implies “enslavement”. But “老黄牛” (Lao huang niu ) is a complimentary expression praising a person who is diligent and conscientious in serving the people. Therefore, “鲁迅” (Lu Xun), the great Chinese writer uses the famous saying “横眉冷对千夫指,俯首甘为孺子牛”。 Cheng mei Leng dui qian fu zhi,fu shou gan wei ru zi niu, Fierce-browed, I coolly defy a thousand pointing fingers; head bowed, like a willing ox I serve the children) to encourage himself, implying “the high moral character of not daring the violence but a whole-heart devotion of a revolutionary”.

During the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s, “牛” had a strong negative sense. The expression “牛鬼蛇神” (niu gui she shen, a God with the head of a cattle and the body of a snake), which in fact existed in ancient times, was very popular then. But in the Cultural Revolution, it was given a new meaning - a person in power taking the capitalist road. “Capped” with this, many of these people were locked up and had to “蹲牛棚” (dun niu peng, be put into the cowshed). At that time, “牛”, industrious and devoted the whole of its lifetime to human beings, was humiliated.

Expressions like “那人挺牛的” (na ren ting niu de.), “你真牛” (ni zhen niu) “你牛什么, 我还没说呢” (ni niu shen me, wo hai mei shuo ne!) have become very popular sayings today, in which “牛” implies “ability, power, actual strength”. “牛” sometimes also means that “somebody is conceited, arrogant, looking down at everything”.

Here are more common expressions with “牛”:

“牛痕” (niu dou): smallpox

“牛皮” (niu pi): cowhide

“牛角尖” (niu jiao jian): the tip of a horn - an insignificant or insoluble problem

“吹牛皮” (chui niu pi): boast, talk big

“牛仔裤” (niu zai ku): jeans

“吹牛拍马” (chui niu pai ma) boast and flatter

“牛郎织女” (niu Lang zhi nu): husband and wife forced to live in different parts of the country

“牛头马面” (niu tou ma mian): two demon attendants of the King of Hell

“对牛弹琴” (dui niu tan qin): play the lute to a cow - address the wrong audience; talk over somebody’s head

“多如牛毛” (duo ru niu mao): as many as the hairs on an ox - countless; innumerable

“钻牛角尖” (zuan niu jiao jian): take unnecessary pains to study an insignificant or insoluble problem; split hairs; get into a dead end

“牛头不对马嘴”(niu tou bu dui ma zui): horses, jaws don,t match cow’s heads -incongruous, irrelevant

“牛不喝水强按头” (niu bu he shui qiang an tou): try to make an ox drink by forcing his head into the water - try to impose one’s will on sb.; force an ox to drink.

Pig 猪

“猪” (zhu, pig) is a domestic animal raised and kept in pigsty. It provides an important source of meat to people’s life. Today in China, pigs are usually raised in a large scale either in rural households specializing in pig raising (养户, yang zhu zhuan ye hu) or in collective farms.

Pigs are treasures to the Chinese people. Besides the pork it offers, pigs are important raw material for brushes, its skin can be used for making leather shoes, and pig drops are an important part of farm manure. In the past, pig fat is much used as oil for cooking in China. So there was the sayings “肥肉” (fei rou) and “肥缺”, (fei que), implying “a lucrative post”. The saying is still being used today. Another more popular saying is “人怕出名猪怕壮” (ren pa chu ming, zhu pa zhuang. Fame portends trouble for men just as fattening does for pigs), which truly depicts what people think about “pig”.

Small pigs are called “猪仔” (zhu zai, piglet). They are so lovely that some people even keep them as pets today. In the early period of last century, many Chinese were sold to foreign countries to do hard work. These people were nicknamed “猪仔”.

However, the pig is more often derogative. There are two reasons: eating much and sleeping a lot. So people think pigs are “stupid”, “lazy” and “dirty”. Because of this, in the Chinese language, many expressions are related to “猪”. For example, “猪头三” (zhu tou san, pig’s head - stupid), “猪脑袋” (zhu nao dai, pig’s head - stupid brain and is slow in doing everything). But they are strong, abusive language and are rather offensive.

Pig is not a nice subject to write about, so in history there was little literature describing it. However, there is a very successful picture of pig in literature. It is “猪八戒” (zhu ba jie, Pigsy), a character in the novel Pilgrimage to the West (西游记, xi you ji). “猪八戒” was at first a general in the Heaven but was deported from there for committing a crime. Then he was sent to become a pig monster in the human world. The Buddhist world wanted to save him and asked him to be the disciple of “唐僧” (tang seng, Monk Tang). The depiction of “猪八戒”, lazy, belligerent and fond of women, in the novel, is very famous. So his image has been popular to every Chinese home. There are some vivid expressions about the name “猪八戒” itself too. For example;

“猪八戒倒打一把”, (zhu ba jie dao da yi pa. Pigsy striking backward with his rake - make a counterattack or countercharge)

“猪八戒照镜子, 里外不是人” (zhu ba jie zhao jingzi, li wai bu shi ren, one is blamed and scolded though he has made striving efforts)

“猪八戒见了白骨精,神魂颠倒” (zhu ba jie jian le bai gu jing, shen hun dian dao, one is even fascinated by pretty women demon)

Mouse (老)鼠

“鼠” (shu, mouse) is the first of the 12 symbolic animals. But since ancient times, no one seems to have any good impression of a mouse. So in many expressions with “鼠” in language, they usually carry derogatory sense. Look at the following examples:

“鼠辈”, (shu bei): mean creatures, scoundrels

“鼠窜” (shu cuan): scamper off like a rat; scurry away like frightened rats

“鼠目寸光” (shu mu cun guang): a mouse can only see as far as an inch; see only what is under one’s nose; be short-sighted

“鼠肚鸡肠” (shu du ji chang): petty; narrow-minded

“賊眉鼠眼” (zei mei shu yan): shifty-eyed; thievish-looking

“过街老鼠” (guo jie lao shu): a rat crossing the street - a person or thing that provokes a hue and cry

However, there are some expressions with “鼠” that take a positive sense, and these expressions are usually used to describe certain characters in swordsman fiction. For example, “钻天鼠” (zuan tian shu, a rat that can go high up into the sky), “翻江鼠” (fan jiang shu, a rat that can go deep down the river), etc. These expressions are often the “nicknames” of heroes who are ready to help the oppressed and weak people because these rats are adept in martial arts and having a strong sense of justice.

Hare 兔(子)

Hare, for its long ears and bright gleaming eyes, is also loved by the Chinese. It is clever, meek and is always known for its intelligence. So in China Today» hares are also kept as pets and are especially favored by children.

In the past, hares were much raised like other domestic animals in rural households. So in Chinese language hare is more culturally meant. Many expressions with “兔” are related with hares’ agility. One common expression is “狡兔三窟” (jiao tu san ku, a wily hare has three burrows). “窟” (ku) means “the hole, the hiding place”. So the expression implies “a crafty person has more than one hideout”. Another more popular saying is “兔子不吃窝边草” (tu zi bu chi wo bian cao, a rabbit doesn’t eat the grass near its own hole), which implies “for one’s own protection purposes, a villain doesn’t harm his next-door neighbors”.

There is an expression about “兔” and “角”—“龟毛兔角” (gui mao tu jiao, tortoise’s hair and hare’s horn). “Hairs” and “horns” are not expected to grow on tortoise and hare respectively, so the expression actually refers to “things that are unique and rare and are unlikely to exist”.

Some expressions are about the speed of “兔子”. In Northeast China, for example, people will sometime say to someone who comes to a place very quickly, “你穿兔子鞋啦?” (ni chuan tu zi xie la, are you on rabbit shoes?) This expression means that “it is unbelievable you could be here so quick”.

While many expressions take a liking for the hare, there are expressions that are negative. The most popular one is “兔崽仔” (tu zai zi - the son of a rabbit), which is abusive language meaning “brat” or “bastard”. Another important expression is “兔子尾巴长不了” (tu zi wei ba chang bu liao, the tail of a rabbit can’t be long). It means that “your good time (days) won’t last long”.

Tortoise (乌)龟

“龟” (gui, tortoise) is the kind of crawling animal familiar to the ordinary people. In ancient China, the Han people highly admire and worship “四灵” (si ling, four fairies) - dragon, phoenix, unicorn, and tortoise. But of the four, the tortoise is the only animal that exists in the real world. The tortoise has a long life, and the lines on its shell are so mysterious that they are often used to tell people’s fortune.

Tortoise and “鼎” (ding, tripod) are the symbol of power in ancient China. In the eye of ancients, the tortoise is as noble and important as Phoenix. For example, in the Han Dynasty, officials’ seal was purposely cast turtle-shaped; in Tang Dynasty when “武则天” (Wu Ze Tian, the Woman Emperor) was in power, high-rank officials were all made to wear gold turtle-shaped bags.

Tortoise is miraculous for its endurance because it can live without food and water for years. Their shell can carry weight and protect themselves at the same time. It can live either on land or in water. What is particular about tortoise is its long life. In Jin Dynasty, people used to eat long-time boiled tortoise, which was considered to be able to prolong people’s life. Until the Sui Dynasty, many literary works on tortoise were published, commenting on its value, mystery, and longevity.

There are also some expressions about “龟” in language. For example:

“龟玉” (gui yu): tortoise-shell and jade (a national treasure, telling the nation’s fortune)

“龟鉴” (gut jian): lessons of the past held up as a mirror for the present and future

“龟缓” (gui shou): the turtle-shaped knob of a seal

“龟年(龄)” (gui nian/ling): longevity

“金龟婿” (jin gui xu): son-in-law with high official ranks

But “龟” is so common an animal today that its mystery is now gradually decreasing. During the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, “龟” began to take a derogatory sense. For example, the male boss in the brothel has often been called “乌龟” (wu gui). “死乌龟” (si wu gui), “老乌龟” (lao wu gui), “龟孙子” (gui sun zi), “缩头乌龟” (suo tou wu gui), etc., are all derogatory phrases.

Mandarin Duck 鸳鸯

The Han People have been impressed by “鸳鸯” (yuan yang, mandarin duck) since ancient times because it often implies “happiness, the affectionate life of a couple and even salary”. As early as in the Han Dynasty, the newly married couple would often have drawings of mandarin ducks for their living necessities - quilts, bed-sheets, and coats, etc., wishing for a long, sweet, and affectionate life.

In the Warring Period, an emperor killed Han Ping, a general and took his wife as a concubine. But the wife resisted and killed herself. The couple was then buried together. On the second day after their death, two Mandarin ducks were seen on the tree beside the grave voicing bitterly from morning till dusk, striking each other’s necks. Since then people began to associate an affectionate couple with mandarin ducks, which, in the minds of people, are a symbol of “loyalty to love”.

History records tell that mandarin ducks are also the image of blood brothers and good friends. But people find, in recent research, that mandarin ducks in real life are not so passionately loyal to each other, as they very frequently change their spouses. Whether this is true or not, it is difficult to change how Chinese people have always thought of the mandarin duck.

Swan Goose (鸿)雁

“鸿雁” (hong yan, swan goose), also called a wild goose, is a migratory bird. In Spring, they appear in the south but fly away to the north in Autumn. They are very frequently seen flying in the sky through the vast territory in China. In ancient China, a customary practice used to be that, when a man and a girl were engaged, the man’s family would have to send goose as the betrothal gift to the girl’s family. If a swan loses its spouse, as the legend goes, it will never try to find another one. So swan is chosen as an engagement gift in the old days. It has become the symbol of a couple s wholehearted devotion to the whole of their marital life.

When swan geese are flying, they are always seen in good order and esp. in the shape of the Chinese character “人”, which imply their brotherly relations. So people say “雁行” (yan xing), “雁序” (yan xu), “雁齿” (yan chi) to refer to “the brotherly way of leaving - the elder taking the lead while the younger ones following”. When one swan is found flying alone, it is often the case that all his brothers have died.

During ancient times, people also associated wandering refugees with swan goose. So “雁户” (yan hu), “雁泊” (ya po) refer to “families living a wandering life”. In addition, swan goose was known to be a “messenger”, so there are expressions “雁使” (yan shi) and “雁信” (yan xin ). But “雁帛” (yan bo ) and “雁书” (yan shu) refer to “written messages”. In ancient China, letters or written messages were often put and sent in a fish-shaped wooden box, so came the expression “雁去鱼来” (yan qu yu lai) meaning “the constant exchange of letters”. On the contrary, “雁杳鱼沉” (yan yao yu chen”) means “the break-off of information”. Sometimes people just use “鱼雁” to mean “the exchange of messages”.

Besides, people will associate “鸿鹤” (hong hu, swan) with swan goose, so “鸿雁” also means “information” or “message”.

Chicken 鸡

Chicken (鸡, ji), like pig and cattle, is a domestic animal raised in many families. In the past, people used to think more highly of chicken than any other domestic animals, because chicken can lay eggs and chicken meat is very nutritious and is thus consumed only on important occasions. But today in China, there are a lot of chicken farms and special chicken-raising households in rural areas, so the chicken is no more different than other poultry.

Farmers raise cocks, too, because cock works as a clock and wakes people up early in the morning. So in the Chinese language, there are many expressions with cock. For example, “闻鸡起舞” (wen ji qi wu, rise at cock’s crow). The story goes that two friends in Jin Dynasty were always concerned about their country. One night they talked late into the night, so they stayed in the same bed. They were about to fall asleep when they were woken up by the cock’s crow (an ill omen at that time when the cock crows at midnight). Inspired by the cock’s crow, they got up practicing swords together, believing that they could do more for the country with their efforts. So the expression today describes people who are diligent and disciplined.

A more important saying related to “鸡” is “一唱雄鸡天下白” (yi chang xiong ji tian xia bai, the sky is about to be bright and clear when the cock crows). It is natural that the cock crows at daybreak, but the saying is more culturally meant. “雄鸡” here implies “the huge, powerful force behind”. So the saying refers to “the freedom that people finally got when they have been long suppressed by an evil force”.

Chicken is small, but it is as important as other big-sized animals. So in Chinese, there is a saying “宁为鸡口,不为牛尾” (ning wei ji kou , bu wei niu wei - better be a bird’s beak than a cow’s rump), as people wish to be “the head of anything”.

Many vivid expressions describe how chicken live and the characteristics about them. For example,

“我冷得起鸡皮挖瘡” (wo leng de qi ji pi ge da, I had gooseflesh all over my body because of the cold);

“鸡飞蛋打” (ji fei dan da, the hen has flown away and the eggs in the coop have been broken - all is lost);

“鸡鸣狗盗” (ji ming gou dao, crow like a cock and snatch like a dog – unimportant skills or sneaky behaviors),

“鸡犬不宁” (ji quan bu ning, even fowls and dogs are not left in peace - general turmoil),

“一人得道,鸡犬升天” (yi ren de dao, ji quan sheng tian, when a man attains the Tao, even his pets ascend to heaven - when a man get to the top, all his friends and relations get there with him),

“鸡毛蒜皮” (ji mao suan pi, chicken feathers, and garlic skin - trifles, trivialities).

Two expressions of chicken eggs are used a lot. They are “鸡蛋里挑骨头” (ji dan li tiao gutou, look for a bone in an egg - look for a flaw where there’s none to be found), “鸡蛋碰石头” (ji dan peng shi tou, (like) an egg striking a rock – one attack sb. far stronger than oneself)

Magpie and Crow 喜鹊

“喜鹊” (xi que, magpie) and “乌鸦” (wu ya, crow) are two very common birds in China. But, their meanings are quite different culturally, because the Chinese people usually think magpie brings happiness while crow symbolizes misfortune.

Magpie likes living in dried surroundings and is said to be magic enough to foretell good news to people. So “鹊语”(que yu), “鹊喜” (que xi), “鹊报” (que bao), “鹊瑞” (que rei ) all mean “the incoming happy events”.

The legend goes that “牛郎织女” (niu lang zhi nv, the Herd-boy and the Weaving-goddess, two lovers in mythology) can only meet with each other once a year with the help of magpie which acts as a “bridge” for them. So the saying “鹤桥” (que qiao, the bridge formed by magpies which the Weaving-goddess is supposed to cross for her annual meeting with the Herd-boy) has been used a lot today to mean go-betweens who match single men with single women.

Crow has also been considered as a magic bird in China. Japanese people also have the same impression of crows as the Chinese. In the Tang Dynasty, people are quite impressed by the crow and like it as they like the magpie. In fact, the crow also brings news, but usually warnings to people because they want to show their loyalty. But they are usually blamed for bringing bad luck to people. “报喜不报忧” (bao xi bu bao you, holding back unpleasant information) is probably a tradition for the Han people. So crow has, actually, been treated unfairly just because of bringing people early warnings. The phrase “乌鸦嘴” (wu ya zui) is often used in the Chinese people’s daily life, referring to “blame for those who say inauspicious words”.

In addition, people often associate the beautiful hair of a young lady with a crow, as a crow’s hair is beautifully black. In fact, according to records, “丫” in “丫鬟” (ya huan, slave girl ) comes from “鸦”.

Crane 鹤

There are many kinds of “鹤” (he, cranes) in the world. The crane discussed here are “丹顶鹤” (dan ding he, the red-crested crane) and “白鹤” (bai he, the white crane), because they both have their own unique cultural meanings in the minds of the Chinese people.

For two reasons, the crane has been regarded as a kind of magic bird.

First, ancient Chinese firmly believe that crane has a long life. So there are expressions such as “鹤寿” (he shou), “鹤龄” (he ling, “the long life of people”), and “鹤杖” (he zhang, “the walking-stick used by old people”). Another expression “鹤发童颜” (he fa tong yan, white hair and ruddy complexion - healthy in old age) is often used to describe “the healthy outlook of the aged”. Meanwhile, people always think of tortoise when talking about long life. So in Chinese painting, cranes and pine trees, tortoises and rocks are usually seen together - a sign of longevity and good luck.

Second, cranes, with their wings stretched, its pure white hair and two long thin legs, have always been thought of as the mount of Gods. In legend, the crane has always been described as immortal.

In Chinese painting, the God of Longevity usually has a protruding forehead, which is in fact, the image of the protruding flesh on the head of a red-crested crane. So “鹤驾” (he jia), “鹤驭” (he yu) actually means “the mount of celestials”. Another popular saying today is “鹤立鸡群”, (he li ji qun, like a crane standing among chickens), implying “stand head and shoulders above others.”

In ancient China, people try to avoid to say directly “死” (si, death), so they choose the expressions “化鹤” (hua he), “鹤驾归西” (he jia gui xi), “英灵随鹤” (ying ling sui he) instead.

Bat 蝙蝠

“蝙蝠” (bian fu, bat) are, in fact, mammals. Due to their unusual appearance, the Chinese people in ancient times had always had a bad impression on bats. However, despite their aversion, ancient Chinese people still found this animal very useful. The reason is that “蝠” (fu, bat) has the same pronunciation with “福” (fu, luck). In ancient China, there was a popular pattern called “五蝠奉寿” (wu fu feng shou ), in which the word “寿” (longevity) is in the middle and “five bats” are flying around it.

“五蝠奉寿” is a popular expression that wishes someone a long life and good luck.

In some places, the five bats are painted “red”, so they are pronounced “红蝠” (hong fu), which sounds like “洪福” (hong fu, great blessing). Similarly, many people today like the number “八” (ba), because in some accents, “八” sounds like “发” (fa), which means “get rich, make a fortune”.

Closing Mark

Animals are closely related to human life, so there are many animal expressions in the language, and they are an important part of the culture as well. Many other animals are also culturally implicative, such as "燕" (yan, swallow), "侣鸾" (lv ying, oriole) and "祷" (chou), meaning "affectionate lovers"; "蠢驴" (chun lv, donkey, idiot), "笨猪" (ben zhu, stupid pig), and "犲狼当道 (chai lang dang dao, jackals, and wolves)”, implying "the cruel and the wicked are in power"; "鹏程" (peng cheng), meaning "the bright future", and "狐媚" (hu mei), implying "seductive girls". Today, "熊市" (Xiong shi, bear), "牛市" (niu shi, bull), are popular names in the stock market. But, recently, a new phrase, "猴市" (hou shi, monkey), appeared, describing the "dramatically fluctuating" stock market, which is consistent with the characteristics of a monkey - "moving around, jumping up and down".