穿山甲
chuānshānjiǎ
The English word 'pangolin' is translated into Chinese as 穿山甲 (chuānshānjiǎ). Wiktionary also lists 鯪鯉 / 鲮鲤 (línglǐ) and 龍鯉 / 龙鲤 (lónglǐ).
Meaning: mammal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 穿山甲 | chuānshānjiǎ |
| 鯪鯉 / 鲮鲤 | línglǐ |
| 龍鯉 / 龙鲤 | lónglǐ |
穿山甲 is the specific term used to refer to the pangolin mammal.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 穿山甲 literally translates to 'mountain-piercing beetle' or 'mountain-piercing armor', which describes the animal's ability to dig through the earth and the protective scales it possesses.
Which one should you use?
穿山甲 refers specifically to the pangolin. Do not confuse it with 鯪鯉 / 鲮鲤 or 龍鯉 / 龙鲤, as these terms refer to types of fish and are not synonyms for the pangolin.
How do you pronounce it?
chuānshānjiǎ
Did you know?
- The word 穿 'pierce' in 穿山甲 is used here to mean 'digging through' or 'tunneling', which is a different nuance than its common use for 'wearing' clothes.
- The character 甲 in 穿山甲 is used in the Chinese calendar as the first character of the 'Heavenly Stems' system, marking the start of a cycle.
- The character 甲 in 穿山甲 refers to 'armor', which is the same character used to describe 'armor' in a military context or even 'the first' in a sequence.
Examples in context
- 穿山甲，即中文中的'穿山甲' (chuān shān jiǎ)，是一种拥有独特鳞甲保护机制的令人惊叹的动物。Pangolins, or '穿山甲' (chuān shān jiǎ) in Chinese, are remarkable creatures with unique protective scales.
- 穿山甲是一种受保护的动物。Chuānshānjiǎ shì yī zhǒng shòu bǎohù de dòngwù.The pangolin is a protected animal.
- 他在动物园看到了穿山甲。Tā zài dòngwùyuán kàndào le chuānshānjiǎ.He saw a pangolin at the zoo.
- 穿山甲的鳞片很坚硬。Chuānshānjiǎ de línpiàn hěn jiānyìng.A pangolin's scales are very hard.
Example conversation
At a nature documentary screening.
- 志强 Zhiqiang那个动物是穿山甲吗？Nàge dòngwù shì chuānshānjiǎ ma?Is that animal a pangolin?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen是的，它是一只穿山甲。Shì de, tā shì yī zhǐ chuānshānjiǎ.Yes, it is a pangolin.
- 志强 Zhiqiang它看起来非常特别。Tā kàn qǐlái fēicháng tèbié.It looks very special.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen没错，它的外表很独特。Méi cuò, tā de wàibiǎo hěn dútè.That's right, its appearance is unique.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pangolin” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
