袋鼠
dàishǔ
The Chinese word for kangaroo is 袋鼠 (dàishǔ).
袋鼠 is the noun used to refer to the kangaroo, a type of marsupial.
Meaning: marsupial (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 袋 (dài), meaning 'pouch' or 'bag' and 鼠 (shǔ), meaning 'rat' or 'mouse'.
How do you pronounce it?
dàishǔ
Did you know?
- The word 袋鼠 was actually coined by a Westerner, the missionary Samuel Wells Williams, in the mid-19th century.
- Because the second character 鼠 (shǔ) is also the name for the 'Rat' in the Chinese Zodiac, a kangaroo is linguistically linked to the first sign of the zodiac.
- Even though a kangaroo is not a rodent, the character 鼠 (shǔ) acts as a taxonomic shorthand used in many Chinese animal names.
Examples in context
- 这个国家是袋鼠的家园。This country is the homeland of kangaroos.
- 袋鼠在跳。The kangaroo is jumping.
- 那只袋鼠正在吃草。Nà zhī dàishǔ zhèngzài chī cǎo.That kangaroo is eating grass.
- 袋鼠是很有名的动物。Dàishǔ shì hěn yǒumíng de dòngwù.Kangaroos are very famous animals.
- 我喜欢看袋鼠跳。Wǒ xǐhuān kàn dàishǔ tiào.I like watching kangaroos jump.
Example conversation
Junjie and Jiayi are looking at a picture book together.
- 佳怡 Jiayi这是什么动物？zhè shì shénme dòngwù?What animal is this?
- 俊杰 Junjie这是一只袋鼠。zhè shì yī zhī dàishǔ.This is a kangaroo.
- 佳怡 Jiayi它有口袋吗？tā yǒu kǒudài ma?Does it have a pocket?
- 俊杰 Junjie是的，袋鼠有口袋。shì de, dàishǔ yǒu kǒudài.Yes, kangaroos have pockets.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kangaroo” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 袋鼠, CC BY-SA 4.0.
