How to Say the Chinese Zodiac Animals in Mandarin
Learn the 12 Chinese zodiac animal names in Mandarin with characters, pinyin, tone marks, and simple pronunciation notes. The goal is not to sound theatrical. It is to say each animal clearly enough that the Chinese word, the zodiac sign, and the tone pattern stay connected.
Listen and practice the 12 zodiac animals
Click the audio buttons to hear each animal name. Browser speech voices vary by device, so treat the sound as practice help rather than a professional recording. The pinyin and tone marks are the stable part of the page.
Starts like “sh” in English, then a low dipping third tone.
Rising tone. Say it as one syllable, not “nee-you” too separately.
A low dipping tone. The initial h is firm but not harsh.
Short and falling. Do not stretch the vowel too long.
Rising tone. The final sounds close to “long,” but lifted.
Rising tone with the same “sh” initial as 鼠 shǔ.
A low dipping third tone. Keep it one clean syllable.
Rising tone. The Chinese word 羊 can be translated as goat, sheep, or ram.
Rising tone. The final is close to “hoe,” but rounded.
High and level. The j is not the same as English “jay.”
Low dipping tone. The final is rounded, not a hard English “go.”
High and level. The zh sound is retroflex, with the tongue curled slightly back.
These buttons use your browser’s speech engine. If nothing plays, your device may not have a Mandarin voice enabled. The written pinyin remains the main reference.
All 12 names in one table
This table gives the animal order, Chinese character, pinyin, tone number, and a small pronunciation reminder. The order follows the standard 12-animal zodiac cycle.
| Commande | Animal | Chinois | Pinyin | Tone | Pronunciation note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rat | 鼠 | shǔ | 3e | Low dipping tone; sh initial. |
| 2 | Bœuf | 牛 | niú | 2e | Rising tone; one syllable. |
| 3 | Tigre | 虎 | hǔ | 3e | Low dipping tone. |
| 4 | Lapin | 兔 | tù | 4e | Short falling tone. |
| 5 | Dragon | 龙 | lóng | 2e | Rising tone; rounded final. |
| 6 | Serpent | 蛇 | shé | 2e | Rising tone; sh initial. |
| 7 | Cheval | 马 | mǎ | 3e | Low dipping tone. |
| 8 | Chèvre | 羊 | yáng | 2e | Rising tone; translation can vary. |
| 9 | Singe | 猴 | hóu | 2e | Rising tone; rounded final. |
| 10 | Coq | 鸡 | jī | 1er | High and level. |
| 11 | Chien | 狗 | gǒu | 3e | Low dipping tone. |
| 12 | Cochon | 猪 | zhū | 1er | High and level; retroflex zh. |
A quick guide to the four Mandarin tones
Mandarin is tonal, so the pitch shape is part of the word. English readers often focus on the letters first, but for Chinese zodiac animal names, the tone mark is just as important as the spelling.
High and level. Example from the zodiac list: 鸡 jī, 猪 zhū.
Rising, like a small lift in pitch. Examples: 牛 niú, 龙 lóng, 蛇 shé.
Low and dipping in careful speech. Examples: 鼠 shǔ, 虎 hǔ, 马 mǎ, 狗 gǒu.
Sharp falling tone. Example from the zodiac list: 兔 tù.
In natural speech, the third tone is often not pronounced as a full dramatic dip every time. For learners, it is still helpful to recognize it as the low tone category.
Say “year of the…” in Mandarin
To say “the Year of the Horse” or “the Year of the Dragon,” Chinese usually adds 年 nián, meaning year, after the animal.
| English | Chinois | Pinyin | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| L'année du Rat | 鼠年 | shǔ nián | Animal + 年. |
| L'année du Dragon | 龙年 | lóng nián | Useful for 2024 and 2012 pages. |
| L'année du Cheval | 马年 | mǎ nián | Useful for 2026 Fire Horse pages. |
| Année de la Chèvre | 羊年 | yáng nián | Also translated as Sheep or Ram year in some English contexts. |
Three practice habits that help
Do not memorize only the English animal. Keep 鼠 shǔ, 牛 niú, 虎 hǔ in pairs.
For beginners, saying “third tone” or “second tone” mentally before reading can help you slow down.
The order gives memory support: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig.
Common mistakes
- Ignoring tone marks. Pinyin without tones is only half of the pronunciation.
- Reading pinyin like English spelling. Pinyin uses Latin letters, but the sounds are Mandarin sounds.
- Separating character and sound. For zodiac learning, the Chinese character, pinyin, and animal meaning should stay together.
- Expecting browser audio to be perfect. Use it as a helper, not the final authority.
FAQ
How do you say Chinese zodiac in Mandarin?
A common phrase is 十二生肖, pronounced shí èr shēng xiào. It means the twelve zodiac animals.
How do you say zodiac animal in Chinese?
You can say 生肖, pronounced shēng xiào. For a specific animal, use the character and name, such as 鼠 shǔ for Rat or 龙 lóng for Dragon.
Why do tone marks matter?
Mandarin uses tones to distinguish words. Tone marks in pinyin show the pitch shape, so they are part of the pronunciation rather than decoration.
Is 羊 pronounced goat, sheep, or ram?
The Chinese word is 羊, pronounced yáng. In English it may be translated as Goat, Sheep, or Ram depending on context. The pronunciation stays yáng.
Can I use this page as an audio dictionary?
It is a practice guide for the 12 zodiac animals. The audio buttons depend on your browser’s Mandarin voice and may vary by device.
Prochaines étapes
Note de la rédaction
This page uses Hanyu Pinyin with tone marks as the standard romanization for Mandarin pronunciation. The audio buttons are provided for practice and depend on browser speech support. The explanations are written for cultural and language learning, not for formal linguistic training.