How to Say "Dolphin" in Chinese

海豚

hǎitún

The English word dolphin is translated into Chinese as 海豚 (hǎitún). Wiktionary also lists 海豬 / 海猪 (hǎizhū) and 海豨 (hǎixī).

Meaning: aquatic mammal (noun)

Ways to say it

The term refers to the aquatic mammal.

The word 海豚 is composed of 海, meaning sea and 豚, meaning pig or young pig, literally translating to 'sea pig'.

海豬 / 海猪 is another way to express the concept, while 海豨 is a highly literary or archaic form.

海豨 is a literary form.

hǎitún

English speakers have a linguistic cousin to this name in the Old English word 'mereswine', which also meant 'sea pig' and referred to porpoises or dolphins.
If you are talking about a dolphin in a freshwater environment, such as a river, the name changes to 江豚, or 'river pig'.
In Chinese culture, the dolphin is often associated with luck and protection, echoing the 'sea pig' imagery as a symbol of abundance.

汤姆是海豚训练员。
Tom is a dolphin trainer.
This sentence shows how to identify someone as a dolphin trainer using 海豚.
Tatoeba #10006979 by GlossaMatik, translation #6044303 by Hybrid
他能像海豚一樣游泳。
He can swim like a dolphin.
This sentence uses 海豚 to create a comparison for swimming.
Tatoeba #13519161 by LeviHighway, translation #13187808 by atitarev
海豚是哺乳動物。
A dolphin is a mammal.
This sentence provides a biological definition of a dolphin using 海豚.
Tatoeba #834381 by Martha, translation #65812 by CK
4 more sentences on Tatoeba

Two friends are watching a nature documentary at home.

晓雯 Xiaowen

你看，那是一只海豚。
Nǐ kàn, nà shì yī zhī hǎitún.
Look, that is a dolphin.
志强 Zhiqiang

它在水里跳得真高。
Tā zài shuǐ lǐ tiào de zhēn gāo.
It jumps so high in the water.
晓雯 Xiaowen

海豚看起来很聪明。
Hǎitún kàn qǐlái hěn cōngmíng.
The dolphin looks very smart.
志强 Zhiqiang

是的，它们非常聪明。
Shì de, tāmen fēicháng cōngmíng.
Yes, they are very smart.

Sources

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