--- title: "Chinese Bird, Fish and Tree Names: 鹤, 喜鹊, 鲤鱼, 松 and 竹 and What They Mean, With Pinyin" description: "102 Chinese bird, fish and tree names: the crane 鹤 for long life, the magpie 喜鹊 for joy, the carp 鲤鱼 for success, the pine, bamboo and plum of winter, common birds from 麻雀 to 猫头鹰, fish on the menu from 草鱼 to 鲈鱼, and trees from 柳树 to 银杏, each with pinyin, meaning and sound." canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-bird-fish-and-tree-names" author: "Mandarin The Wild" --- Free · 102 names # Chinese bird, fish and tree names [Print as flashcards](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-flashcards?level=mine&words=%E9%B9%A4%20%E4%B8%B9%E9%A1%B6%E9%B9%A4%20%E5%96%9C%E9%B9%8A%20%E9%B8%B3%E9%B8%AF%20%E7%87%95%E5%AD%90%20%E5%AD%94%E9%9B%80%20%E5%A4%A7%E9%9B%81%20%E9%B8%BF%E9%9B%81%20%E5%87%A4%E5%87%B0%20%E4%B9%8C%E9%B8%A6%20%E9%B8%9F%20%E9%BA%BB%E9%9B%80%20%E9%B8%BD%E5%AD%90%20%E9%B9%A6%E9%B9%89%20%E8%80%81%E9%B9%B0%20%E7%8C%AB%E5%A4%B4%E9%B9%B0%20%E5%95%84%E6%9C%A8%E9%B8%9F%20%E5%A4%A9%E9%B9%85%20%E7%99%BD%E9%B9%AD%20%E9%BB%84%E9%B9%82%20%E7%94%BB%E7%9C%89%20%E6%9D%9C%E9%B9%83%20%E5%B8%83%E8%B0%B7%E9%B8%9F%20%E7%99%BE%E7%81%B5%E9%B8%9F%20%E5%A4%9C%E8%8E%BA%20%E7%BF%A0%E9%B8%9F%20%E6%B5%B7%E9%B8%A5%20%E4%BC%81%E9%B9%85%20%E9%B8%B5%E9%B8%9F%20%E7%81%AB%E7%83%88%E9%B8%9F%20%E9%B9%8C%E9%B9%91%20%E9%B8%A1%20%E9%B8%AD%20%E9%B9%85%20%E9%B1%BC%20%E9%B2%A4%E9%B1%BC%20%E9%94%A6%E9%B2%A4%20%E9%87%91%E9%B1%BC%20%E8%8D%89%E9%B1%BC%20%E9%B2%AB%E9%B1%BC%20%E9%B2%88%E9%B1%BC%20%E9%B3%9C%E9%B1%BC%20%E9%BB%84%E9%B1%BC%20%E5%B8%A6%E9%B1%BC%20%E9%B3%97%E9%B1%BC%20%E9%B2%B6%E9%B1%BC%20%E9%B3%95%E9%B1%BC%20%E4%B8%89%E6%96%87%E9%B1%BC%20%E9%87%91%E6%9E%AA%E9%B1%BC%20%E7%BD%97%E9%9D%9E%E9%B1%BC%20%E9%B2%A8%E9%B1%BC%20%E9%B1%BF%E9%B1%BC%20%E7%AB%A0%E9%B1%BC%20%E9%B2%8D%E9%B1%BC%20%E8%9E%83%E8%9F%B9%20%E8%99%BE%20%E6%B5%B7%E8%B1%9A%20%E9%B2%B8%E9%B1%BC%20%E6%9D%BE%E6%A0%91%20%E6%9F%8F%E6%A0%91%20%E6%9D%BE%E6%9F%8F%20%E7%AB%B9%E5%AD%90%20%E6%9F%B3%E6%A0%91%20%E6%9D%A8%E6%9F%B3%20%E6%A1%83%E6%A0%91%20%E6%A2%85%E6%A0%91%20%E6%A2%A7%E6%A1%90%20%E6%A1%82%E8%8A%B1%E6%A0%91%20%E9%93%B6%E6%9D%8F%20%E6%A7%90%E6%A0%91%20%E6%A0%91%20%E6%9E%AB%E6%A0%91%20%E6%A6%95%E6%A0%91%20%E6%A8%9F%E6%A0%91%20%E6%A1%91%E6%A0%91%20%E6%9D%A8%E6%A0%91%20%E6%9C%A8%E6%A3%89%20%E6%A4%B0%E5%AD%90%E6%A0%91%20%E6%A3%95%E6%A6%88%E6%A0%91%20%E8%8B%B9%E6%9E%9C%E6%A0%91%20%E5%9C%A3%E8%AF%9E%E6%A0%91%20%E5%B8%B8%E9%9D%92%E6%A0%91%20%E6%A0%91%E6%9C%A8%20%E6%A0%91%E6%9E%97%20%E6%A3%AE%E6%9E%97%20%E7%AB%B9%E6%9E%97%20%E6%A0%91%E5%8F%B6%20%E6%A0%91%E6%9E%9D%20%E6%A0%91%E6%A0%B9%20%E8%90%BD%E5%8F%B6%20%E7%9B%86%E6%99%AF%20%E5%B9%B4%E5%B9%B4%E6%9C%89%E4%BD%99%20%E5%B2%81%E5%AF%92%E4%B8%89%E5%8F%8B%20%E6%AF%94%E7%BF%BC%E9%B8%9F%20%E9%B8%9F%E8%AF%AD%E8%8A%B1%E9%A6%99%20%E9%B9%A4%E7%AB%8B%E9%B8%A1%E7%BE%A4%20%E5%A6%82%E9%B1%BC%E5%BE%97%E6%B0%B4%20%E9%B1%BC%E7%B1%B3%E4%B9%8B%E4%B9%A1%20%E6%B2%89%E9%B1%BC%E8%90%BD%E9%9B%81%20%E4%B8%80%E7%9F%B3%E4%BA%8C%E9%B8%9F%20%E6%83%8A%E5%BC%93%E4%B9%8B%E9%B8%9F%20%E4%B9%8C%E9%B8%A6%E5%98%B4) Speed ## What birds, fish and trees stand for | | Name | Stands for | Why | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Crane | 鹤 hè | Long life | The mount of the immortals, painted with the pine | | Magpie | 喜鹊 xǐquè | Joy, good news | Its name starts with 喜, joy | | Mandarin ducks | 鸳鸯 yuānyāng | A devoted couple | They swim in pairs | | Carp | 鲤鱼 lǐyú | Success | The carp that leaps the Dragon Gate becomes a dragon | | Fish | 鱼 yú | Plenty | It sounds like 余, surplus: 年年有余 | | Pine, bamboo, plum | 松 竹 梅 | Holding firm | Green or blooming through winter: 岁寒三友 | | Willow | 柳 liǔ | Parting | It sounds like 留, stay | | Crow | 乌鸦 wūyā | Bad luck | Its cry is heard as an omen | ## Birds that carry a meaning hè鹤 crane (bird) dān丹dǐng顶hè鹤 red-crowned crane xǐ喜què鹊 magpie yuān鸳yāng鸯 mandarin duck yàn燕zi子 swallow (bird) kǒng孔què雀 peacock dà大yàn雁 wild goose hóng鸿yàn雁 swan goose fèng凤huáng凰 phoenix wū乌yā鸦 crow; raven ## Common birds niǎo鸟 bird má麻què雀 sparrow gē鸽zi子 pigeon; dove yīng鹦wǔ鹉 parrot lǎo老yīng鹰 eagle; hawk māo猫tóu头yīng鹰 owl zhuó啄mù木niǎo鸟 woodpecker tiān天é鹅 swan bái白lù鹭 egret; little egret huáng黄lí鹂 oriole huà画méi眉 hwamei; Chinese laughingthrush (songbird) dù杜juān鹃 cuckoo bù布gǔ谷niǎo鸟 cuckoo bǎi百líng灵niǎo鸟 lark yè夜yīng莺 nightingale cuì翠niǎo鸟 kingfisher hǎi海ōu鸥 seagull qǐ企é鹅 penguin tuó鸵niǎo鸟 ostrich huǒ火liè烈niǎo鸟 flamingo ān鹌chún鹑 quail jī鸡 chicken; fowl yā鸭 duck é鹅 goose ## Fish that carry a meaning yú鱼 fish lǐ鲤yú鱼 carp jǐn锦lǐ鲤 koi jīn金yú鱼 goldfish ## Fish and sea creatures cǎo草yú鱼 grass carp jì鲫yú鱼 crucian carp lú鲈yú鱼 perch; sea bass guì鳜yú鱼 mandarin fish; Chinese perch huáng黄yú鱼 yellow croaker (fish) dài带yú鱼 cutlassfish; hairtail (fish) mán鳗yú鱼 eel nián鲶yú鱼 catfish xuě鳕yú鱼 cod sān三wén文yú鱼 salmon jīn金qiāng枪yú鱼 tuna luó罗fēi非yú鱼 tilapia shā鲨yú鱼 shark yóu鱿yú鱼 squid zhāng章yú鱼 octopus bào鲍yú鱼 abalone páng螃xiè蟹 crab xiā虾 shrimp; prawn hǎi海tún豚 dolphin jīng鲸yú鱼 whale ## Trees that carry a meaning sōng松shù树 pine tree bǎi柏shù树 cypress tree sōng松bǎi柏 pines and cypresses zhú竹zi子 bamboo liǔ柳shù树 willow tree yáng杨liǔ柳 willow táo桃shù树 peach tree méi梅shù树 plum tree wú梧tóng桐 Chinese parasol tree guì桂huā花shù树 sweet osmanthus tree yín银xìng杏 ginkgo huái槐shù树 Chinese scholar tree; locust tree ## Common trees shù树 tree fēng枫shù树 maple tree róng榕shù树 banyan tree zhāng樟shù树 camphor tree sāng桑shù树 mulberry tree yáng杨shù树 poplar tree mù木mián棉 kapok tree; red silk-cotton tree yē椰zi子shù树 coconut palm zōng棕lǘ榈shù树 palm tree píng苹guǒ果shù树 apple tree shèng圣dàn诞shù树 Christmas tree cháng常qīng青shù树 evergreen tree ## Forest words shù树mù木 trees shù树lín林 woods; grove sēn森lín林 forest zhú竹lín林 bamboo grove; bamboo forest shù树yè叶 leaf; tree leaves shù树zhī枝 branch; twig shù树gēn根 tree root luò落yè叶 fallen leaves pén盆jǐng景 bonsai; potted landscape ## Sayings nián年nián年yǒu有yú余 may you have surplus every year (New Year greeting) suì岁hán寒sān三yǒu友 three friends of winter (pine, bamboo and plum) bǐ比yì翼niǎo鸟 pair of lovebirds flying wing to wing (devoted couple) niǎo鸟yǔ语huā花xiāng香 birds singing and flowers fragrant hè鹤lì立jī鸡qún群 to stand out from the crowd (like a crane among chickens) rú如yú鱼dé得shuǐ水 like a fish in water; in one's element yú鱼mǐ米zhī之xiāng乡 land of fish and rice; fertile land chén沉yú鱼luò落yàn雁 stunningly beautiful (of a woman) yī一shí石èr二niǎo鸟 to kill two birds with one stone jīng惊gōng弓zhī之niǎo鸟 a person frightened by previous experience wū乌yā鸦zuǐ嘴 jinx (person who says unlucky things) ## What are bird names in Chinese? Bird is 鸟 (niǎo), and many bird names end in it: 啄木鸟 (zhuómùniǎo) woodpecker, 布谷鸟 (bùgǔniǎo) cuckoo. The birds you hear about most are the sparrow 麻雀 (máquè), the pigeon 鸽子 (gēzi), the swallow 燕子 (yànzi), the magpie 喜鹊 (xǐquè), the crane 鹤 (hè), the eagle 老鹰 (lǎoyīng) and the owl 猫头鹰 (māotóuyīng), literally the cat-headed hawk. ## What do birds symbolize in Chinese culture? The crane 鹤 (hè) stands for long life, the magpie 喜鹊 (xǐquè) for joy, since its name starts with 喜, and a pair of mandarin ducks 鸳鸯 (yuānyāng) for a devoted couple. The phoenix 凤凰 (fènghuáng) was the empress’s bird, and the wild goose 鸿雁 (hóngyàn) carries letters in poems. The crow 乌鸦 (wūyā) is bad luck: 乌鸦嘴, a crow’s mouth, is someone who says things that jinx you. ## Why do Chinese people eat fish at New Year? Fish, 鱼 (yú), sounds like 余 (yú), surplus, so a whole fish on New Year’s Eve wishes you 年年有余 (nián nián yǒu yú), plenty every year. Many families leave some of it uneaten, so there is still some left over. ## What does the carp mean in Chinese culture? Success through effort. In the legend of 鲤鱼跃龙门 (lǐyú yuè lóngmén), the carp that leaps over the Dragon Gate on the Yellow River turns into a dragon, so it stands for passing an exam or rising in the world. The koi, 锦鲤 (jǐnlǐ), is now also online slang for a lucky charm. ## What are the names of fish in Chinese? Almost every fish name ends in 鱼 (yú). The fish you meet most on a menu are 草鱼 (cǎoyú) grass carp, 鲈鱼 (lúyú) sea bass, 鲫鱼 (jìyú) crucian carp, 带鱼 (dàiyú) hairtail and 三文鱼 (sānwényú) salmon. Some sea creatures are called fish too: 鱿鱼 (yóuyú) squid, 章鱼 (zhāngyú) octopus and 鲸鱼 (jīngyú) whale. ## What do trees symbolize in China? The pine 松 (sōng), bamboo 竹 (zhú) and plum 梅 (méi) are the three friends of winter, 岁寒三友 (suì hán sān yǒu), for holding firm in hard times. The willow 柳 (liǔ) sounds like 留 (liú), stay, so friends once gave a willow branch at parting. The peach tree 桃树 (táoshù) is for long life, from the peaches of immortality. ## Can’t hear it? Play uses your device’s Mandarin voice. Edge, Chrome and Safari have one; a browser with none plays each character in our recorded voice instead. ## More Chinese nature words - [Chinese flower names and meanings](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-flower-names) - [Animals in Chinese](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-vocabulary/animals) - [The Chinese zodiac animals](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-zodiac) - [National symbols of China](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-national-symbols) Names, pinyin and meanings from our own dictionary; what each stands for is common lore and varies by region.