熊
xióng
The Chinese word for the large mammal bear is 熊 (xióng). Wiktionary also lists 魋 (tuí).
Meaning: large mammal of family Ursidae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 熊 | xióng | |
| 魋 | tuí | archaic |
The word 熊 refers to the large mammal of the family Ursidae. In English, the word 'bear' can function as both a noun for the animal and a verb meaning to carry or to tolerate. In Chinese, these are distinct words that cannot be substituted for one another.
Which one should you use?
The form 魋 is an archaic version of the word.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
xióng
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not confuse the noun 熊 (xióng), meaning the animal 'bear', with the verbs 扛 (káng) or 提 (tí), which mean 'to bear/carry' a physical load.
Did you know?
- The character 熊 was not originally used for the animal, but was instead an onomatopoeia for 'raging' flames. The word for 'flame' was 熊熊 (xióngxióng), which eventually led to the character being used for the mammal.
- In Chinese culture, the phrase 熊孩子 refers to a 'bear child', which describes a mischievous or spoiled child who is difficult to manage.
- In modern Chinese slang, 熊 is used as an adjective to describe a person who is clumsy, awkward or a bit of a troublemaker.
Examples in context
- 獵人跟著熊的蹤跡。The hunter followed the bear tracks.This sentence shows how to use 熊 when talking about animal tracks.Tatoeba #4133704 by egg0073, translation #5006713 by Lindoula
- 汤姆被一只灰熊揍了。Tom was attacked by a grizzly bear.This sentence uses 熊 to describe an encounter with a grizzly bear.Tatoeba #9958222 by GlossaMatik, translation #5373859 by Hybrid
- 这只灰熊有0.5吨重。This grizzly bear weighs half a ton.This sentence uses 熊 when discussing the weight of a grizzly bear.Tatoeba #8795143 by crescat, translation #6331132 by OsoHombre
- 这只 熊 非常可爱。This bear is very cute.
- 我喜欢看 熊 的视频。I enjoy watching videos of bears.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are watching a nature documentary on TV.
- 俊杰 Junjie你看，那有一只熊。Nǐ kàn, nà yǒu yì zhī xióng.Look, there is a bear over there.
- 佳怡 Jiayi那只熊看起來很壯。Nà zhī xióng kàn qǐlái hěn zhuàng.That bear looks very strong.
- 俊杰 Junjie牠正在吃蜂蜜。Tā zhèngzài chī fēngmì.It is eating honey right now.
- 佳怡 Jiayi牠真可愛。Tā zhēn kě'ài.It is so cute.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bear” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 熊, 魋, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
